WEBVTT 16:01.900 --> 16:04.500 Good evening everyone, welcome to Anchor Baptist Church. 16:04.500 --> 16:06.780 It's time to get started this evening. 16:06.780 --> 16:11.420 If you would grab a hymnal and turn to hymn number 197, 16:11.420 --> 16:16.420 singing I go, hymn number 197, 197. 16:16.420 --> 16:18.420 197 16:21.600 --> 16:25.760 Singing I go 197. Let's sing it out 16:26.300 --> 16:35.060 The trusting heart that Jesus cleans, nor any ill forbodes. 16:35.060 --> 16:41.740 But at the cross of Calvary sings, praise God for lifted 16:41.740 --> 16:43.680 loads. 16:43.680 --> 16:50.140 Singing I go along life's road, praising the Lord, 16:50.140 --> 16:54.300 praising the Lord, singing I go alone. 16:54.300 --> 17:05.660 long life's road for Jesus has lifted my load. The passing days bring any cares, fear not, 17:05.660 --> 17:15.900 I hear him say. And when my fears are turned to prayers, the burdens slip away. 17:15.900 --> 17:22.300 Singing I go along life's road. 17:22.300 --> 17:30.740 Praising the Lord, praising the Lord, Singing I go along life's road, 17:30.740 --> 17:34.940 For Jesus has lifted my low. 17:34.940 --> 17:43.620 He tells me of my Father's love, And never slumbering I, 17:43.620 --> 17:50.300 My everlasting King above, Will all my needs obey. 17:50.300 --> 17:58.900 I singing I go along life's road, praising the Lord, 17:58.900 --> 18:05.060 praising the Lord, singing I go along life's road, 18:05.060 --> 18:09.420 for Jesus has lifted my load. 18:09.420 --> 18:16.780 When to the throne of grace I flee, I find the promise true. 18:18.300 --> 18:27.180 The mighty arms upholding me will bear my burdens too. 18:27.180 --> 18:33.940 Singing I go along life's road, praising the Lord, 18:33.940 --> 18:40.160 praising the Lord, singing I go along life's road, 18:40.160 --> 18:43.900 for Jesus has lifted my load. 18:44.700 --> 18:46.940 Then this time let's open with a word of prayer. 18:47.800 --> 18:57.400 Heavenly Father, we thank you for this evening to gather together for the opportunity to have a local church where we could gather together and sing out praises and learn from your word. 18:57.400 --> 19:02.040 I pray that you'd be with the seeds planted this evening as well as the salvation that was had. 19:02.040 --> 19:11.480 Also pray that you'd be with us for this service, that you'd open our ears to the message and fill us with your spirit as we sing out unto you and fill pastor with your spirit as he preaches your word. 19:11.480 --> 19:13.960 These things we pray in Jesus name, amen. 19:14.800 --> 19:20.960 For our next hymn, number 220, Jesus is all the world to me. 19:32.300 --> 19:36.900 22220 Jesus is all the world to me. 19:36.900 --> 19:38.600 Let's sing it out. 19:38.600 --> 19:44.800 Jesus is all the world to me. 19:44.800 --> 19:50.900 My life, my joy, my all. 19:51.300 --> 19:57.780 He is my strength from day to day. 19:57.780 --> 20:04.640 Without him I would fall. 20:04.640 --> 20:11.220 When I am sad to him I go. 20:11.220 --> 20:17.300 No other one can cheer me so. 20:17.700 --> 20:28.460 When I am sad, he makes me glad, he's my friend. 20:31.500 --> 20:43.300 Jesus is all the world to me, my friend and Daniel's sword. 20:43.300 --> 20:55.260 I go to him for blessings and he gives them o'er and o'er. 20:57.400 --> 21:03.400 He sends the sunshine and the rain. 21:03.400 --> 21:09.400 He sends the harvest golden grain. 21:09.400 --> 21:16.400 Sunshine and rain, harvest of grain. 21:16.400 --> 21:20.400 He's my friend. 21:23.600 --> 21:35.600 Jesus is all the world to me, and true to Him I'll be. 21:35.600 --> 21:44.600 Oh, how could I, this friend, deny when he so dreamt? 22:16.600 --> 22:20.280 This is all the world to 22:22.800 --> 22:27.800 No better friend 22:27.800 --> 22:30.800 I trust him now 22:30.800 --> 22:34.800 I'll trust him when 22:34.800 --> 22:39.800 Life's fleeting day shall end 22:46.500 --> 22:55.260 Beautiful life that has no end. 22:55.260 --> 23:01.380 Eternal life, eternal joy. 23:05.000 --> 23:06.100 Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa 28:34.200 --> 28:47.600 for our third song you'll be in your binders it is psalm 126 in our psalm binder psalm 126 126 28:49.700 --> 28:50.500 Thank you. 28:59.100 --> 29:03.100 Psalm 126, let's sing it out together. 29:03.100 --> 29:09.100 When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, 29:09.100 --> 29:14.100 we were like them that dream. 29:14.200 --> 29:23.320 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. 29:23.320 --> 29:28.920 Then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them, 29:28.920 --> 29:36.040 The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad. 29:36.040 --> 29:41.320 Turn again our captivity, O Lord. 29:41.700 --> 29:45.980 As the streams in the south, 29:45.980 --> 29:51.700 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 29:51.900 --> 29:56.140 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 29:56.140 --> 29:59.340 Lin said they among the heathen, 29:59.340 --> 30:01.980 The Lord hath done great things for them, 30:01.980 --> 30:04.780 The Lord hath done great things for us, 30:04.780 --> 30:09.180 Whereof we are glad. 30:09.180 --> 30:12.460 He that goeth forth and weepeth, 30:12.460 --> 30:14.620 Bearing precious seed. 30:14.800 --> 30:19.880 Shall doubtless come again 30:19.880 --> 30:22.800 Shall doubtless come again 30:22.800 --> 30:29.800 With rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with them 30:29.900 --> 30:35.740 Then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them, 30:35.740 --> 30:43.580 The Lord hath done great things for us, Whereof we are glad. 30:43.580 --> 30:50.220 Men, as the offering plates are being passed, turn if you would to Mark chapter 11. 30:50.220 --> 30:52.540 Mark chapter number 11. 31:45.000 --> 31:51.500 Mark 11 And when they came nigh to Jerusalem unto Bethphagi and Bethany at the Mount of 31:51.500 --> 31:57.400 Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go your way into the 31:57.400 --> 32:03.080 village over against you, and as soon as ye be entered into it ye shall find a colt-tide, 32:03.080 --> 32:04.920 whereon never man sat. 32:04.920 --> 32:06.200 Loose him and bring him. 32:06.600 --> 32:09.720 And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? 32:09.720 --> 32:14.080 Say ye that the Lord hath need of him, And straightway he will send him hither. 32:14.080 --> 32:17.440 And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without, 32:17.440 --> 32:20.600 In a place where two ways met, and they loosed him. 32:20.600 --> 32:24.960 And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt? 32:24.960 --> 32:28.800 And they said unto them, even as Jesus had commanded, And they let them go. 32:29.300 --> 32:34.300 And they brought the cult to Jesus, and cast their garments on him, and he sat upon him. 32:34.300 --> 32:40.300 And many spread their garments in the way, and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. 32:40.500 --> 32:43.740 And they that went before and they that followed cried, saying, 32:43.740 --> 32:47.340 Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. 32:47.340 --> 32:51.460 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord, 32:51.460 --> 32:55.180 Hosanna in the highest. And Jesus entered into Jerusalem 32:55.180 --> 32:59.500 and into the temple, and when he had looked round about upon all things and 32:59.500 --> 33:01.220 now the even tide was come, 33:01.220 --> 33:04.820 he went out unto Bethany with the twelve. And on the morrow, 33:04.820 --> 33:07.100 when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry. 33:07.600 --> 33:11.100 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came. 33:11.100 --> 33:13.600 If happily he might find anything thereon. 33:13.600 --> 33:18.600 And when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for the time of figs was not yet. 33:19.300 --> 33:24.260 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter forever. 33:24.260 --> 33:27.460 And his disciples heard it. And they come to Jerusalem. 33:27.460 --> 33:32.500 And Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, 33:32.500 --> 33:36.820 and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seats of them that sold dugs. 33:37.460 --> 33:41.140 It would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. 33:41.700 --> 33:46.540 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations 33:46.540 --> 33:48.140 the house of prayer? 33:48.140 --> 33:50.540 But ye have made it a den of thieves. 33:50.540 --> 33:55.140 And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and they sought how they might destroy him. 33:55.140 --> 33:58.740 For they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine. 33:59.300 --> 34:04.740 And when even was come, he went out of the city, and in the morning as they passed by, 34:04.740 --> 34:07.380 they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 34:07.380 --> 34:11.820 And Peter calling to remember it, saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou 34:11.820 --> 34:14.340 cursest is withered away. 34:15.300 --> 34:19.100 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 34:19.100 --> 34:22.820 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, 34:22.820 --> 34:25.860 Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea, 34:25.860 --> 34:29.820 And shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall 34:29.820 --> 34:33.220 come to pass, He shall have whatever he saith. 34:33.220 --> 34:37.620 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, 34:37.620 --> 34:39.700 Believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 34:40.200 --> 34:44.900 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any, that your Father also 34:44.900 --> 34:48.960 which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 34:48.960 --> 34:54.360 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. 34:54.360 --> 34:58.940 And they come again to Jerusalem, and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him 34:58.940 --> 35:03.680 the chief priests and the scribes and the elders, and saying to him, By what authority 35:03.680 --> 35:05.080 doest thou these things? 35:05.080 --> 35:07.440 And who gave thee this authority to do these things? 35:08.000 --> 35:13.600 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, 35:13.600 --> 35:17.000 and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. 35:17.000 --> 35:20.660 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men? 35:20.660 --> 35:21.660 Answer me. 35:21.660 --> 35:25.960 And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say from heaven, he will say, 35:25.960 --> 35:28.580 Why then did ye not believe him? 35:28.580 --> 35:31.380 But if we shall say of men, they feared the people. 35:31.380 --> 35:34.620 For all men counted John, that he was a prophet indeed. 35:35.100 --> 35:38.300 and they answered and said unto Jesus, we cannot tell. 35:38.300 --> 35:40.900 And Jesus answering saith unto them, 35:40.900 --> 35:44.780 neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things. 35:44.780 --> 35:46.300 Let's pray. 35:46.300 --> 35:48.580 Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that you would fill pastorals 35:48.580 --> 35:51.380 with your spirit, help them to preach an edifying sermon 35:51.380 --> 35:53.740 for us this evening and help us to receive it. 35:53.740 --> 35:55.060 Amen. 35:55.060 --> 35:56.300 Man, Mark chapter number. 35:57.400 --> 36:03.120 Really the beginning of the Passion Week for the Lord Jesus Christ this chapter details 36:03.120 --> 36:06.840 What's known as the triumphal entry into Jerusalem? 36:06.840 --> 36:13.280 It starts there in verse number one and when they came nigh to Jerusalem unto Bethphage and Bethany 36:13.800 --> 36:18.800 at the Mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples. 36:18.800 --> 36:23.800 So the journey kind of starts from Bethphage and Bethany into Jerusalem. 36:23.800 --> 36:26.300 This is actually why I named my first daughter Bethany, 36:26.300 --> 36:31.800 because this is the triumphal entry into Jerusalem of the Lord Jesus Christ. 36:31.800 --> 36:32.800 It says in verse number two, 36:33.400 --> 36:39.500 and saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you, and as soon as ye 36:39.500 --> 36:47.480 be entered into it ye shall find a colt tide, whereon never man sat, loose him, and bring 36:47.480 --> 36:48.480 him." 36:48.480 --> 36:52.920 Now, if you are not familiar with the Bible, this kind of just seems like a really random, 36:52.920 --> 36:54.320 strange request. 36:54.320 --> 36:59.320 Just go find this colt where no one's ever sat on him before over in this other town. 36:59.320 --> 37:01.400 Go find this coal and bring this coal. 37:01.400 --> 37:06.200 to me. But really the reason Jesus is giving this request is because he knows 37:06.200 --> 37:11.840 that he is fulfilling scripture. And one of the most compelling reasons to believe 37:11.840 --> 37:16.900 that Jesus is the Messiah is just all the scripture that he fulfilled in his life. 37:17.000 --> 37:24.440 And the chances of Jesus just by chance fulfilling all of these prophecies is just way too high 37:24.440 --> 37:28.880 to look at as a coincidence, but rather it's the fulfillment of prophecy. 37:28.880 --> 37:35.300 Go to Zechariah chapter 9, Zechariah chapter 9 and we'll see what scripture exactly is 37:35.300 --> 37:37.800 being fulfilled here. 37:37.800 --> 37:39.720 Zechariah chapter number nine. 37:40.800 --> 37:52.300 Not only is this one of the best reasons to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, but just overall one of the best reasons to believe the Bible is just how much prophecy is fulfilled. 37:52.300 --> 37:54.500 And you know what? You don't see that in any other book. 37:54.500 --> 38:07.000 You don't see that in any other religious text, just to the tee, the minute details that Jesus Christ fulfills in his ministry from scripture written long, long before he was even born. 38:07.000 --> 38:08.500 Look at Zechariah chapter 9. 38:08.800 --> 38:09.800 Verse 9. 38:10.100 --> 38:17.540 The Bible says, Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion, shout, O daughter of Jerusalem, behold, 38:17.540 --> 38:27.620 thy king cometh unto thee. He is just and having salvation lowly and riding upon an ass and upon a 38:27.620 --> 38:35.300 cult, the full of an ass. So Jesus Christ is entering into Jerusalem to do what? To do the work 38:35.300 --> 38:38.100 of salvation, which is dying on the cross. 38:38.100 --> 38:42.420 for the whole world being buried and rising again someday. 38:42.420 --> 38:47.460 And Jesus entering into Jerusalem, why is it called the triumphal entry? 38:47.460 --> 38:51.520 Even though he's going into this city to die, it's because of the fact that he's going to 38:51.520 --> 38:57.260 triumph over the grave when he rises from the dead and has purchased our salvation. 38:57.260 --> 39:01.260 Which is why we see in this story, you're going to see people rejoicing at Jesus riding 39:01.260 --> 39:06.060 into Jerusalem, shouting, Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. 39:06.100 --> 39:09.940 It's an exciting joyous event and the Bible says hey rejoice 39:10.400 --> 39:18.240 Shout be excited about this why because thy king cometh unto thee notice what the Bible describes him as he is what just 39:18.740 --> 39:26.380 Right so Jesus is fulfilling Old Testament prophecy that he is sinless that he is just that he is righteous 39:26.820 --> 39:28.820 Notice having salvation 39:29.180 --> 39:32.700 Lowly in riding upon and asked so he's not coming 39:33.500 --> 39:36.540 in his first coming here to set up some sort of physical kingdom. 39:36.540 --> 39:40.540 He's not coming on a war horse or in some sort of glorious fashion. 39:40.540 --> 39:43.860 He's coming to purchase spiritual salvation. 39:43.860 --> 39:46.060 That's what the Old Testament prophesied of, 39:46.060 --> 39:49.180 which is funny because so many of his disciples constantly thought, 39:49.180 --> 39:50.860 hey, you're setting up a kingdom. 39:50.860 --> 39:53.940 But the Bible here is telling us what is the Messiah coming to do 39:53.940 --> 39:55.300 to bring salvation. 39:55.800 --> 40:02.360 And he does so in a lowly fashion, in a humble fashion, not in this pomp and circumstance. 40:02.360 --> 40:04.200 Go back to Mark chapter 11. 40:04.200 --> 40:07.440 So that's the prophecy being fulfilled here. 40:07.440 --> 40:10.800 And I want you to put yourself in these disciples' shoes. 40:10.800 --> 40:15.280 Imagine Jesus, He tells you, all right, you're going to go over to this village against you. 40:15.600 --> 40:18.740 When you enter it, you're going to find this cult that's tied up. 40:18.740 --> 40:20.620 No one's ever ridden on it before, right? 40:20.620 --> 40:22.180 It's an unbroken cult. 40:22.180 --> 40:24.320 I want you to bring that cult to me. 40:24.320 --> 40:30.300 And notice what it says in verse number three, and if any man say unto you, why do ye this? 40:30.600 --> 40:36.620 Say ye that the Lord hath need of him and straightway he will send him hither 40:36.820 --> 40:40.240 Now if I got that command from the Lord Jesus Christ 40:40.420 --> 40:44.760 Here's the first thing that might be going through my mind is like this is kind of an awkward mission 40:45.400 --> 40:48.840 This is a little bit of an awkward task that you're asking me to do. 40:48.840 --> 40:53.560 You're asking me to go to a total random stranger and just take his property. 40:53.560 --> 40:57.800 This is what you're asking. It's like find this donkey and just start taking it. 40:57.800 --> 41:01.000 And then Jesus knows that this might be a little awkward. He's like, hey, 41:01.000 --> 41:06.280 if anyone asks you, what are you doing? What are you doing with my donkey? 41:06.280 --> 41:09.240 Here's what you're going to say. The Lord hath need of him. 41:09.700 --> 41:12.700 One thing that I apply this to in my life is that, 41:12.700 --> 41:15.600 hey, you need to get over your social awkwardness. 41:15.600 --> 41:17.400 You need to get over your shyness 41:17.400 --> 41:19.200 and just become a soul winner. 41:19.200 --> 41:22.200 Right, because look, one of the things that holds people back 41:22.200 --> 41:25.100 from preaching the gospel is kind of this like social anxiety 41:25.100 --> 41:26.400 of like, wait a second. 41:26.600 --> 41:30.400 I'm going to go knock on a random stranger's door who's never met me. 41:30.400 --> 41:31.560 I've never met them. 41:31.560 --> 41:32.800 Or maybe you have met them. 41:32.800 --> 41:33.800 That's even scarier, right? 41:33.800 --> 41:35.260 You know them from somewhere. 41:35.260 --> 41:38.120 And I'm going to invite them to church, but really it's just a cover story. 41:38.120 --> 41:39.120 I'm not even... 41:39.120 --> 41:40.600 They come to church, that's great. 41:40.600 --> 41:41.600 Don't come, whatever. 41:41.600 --> 41:44.660 Really, we're there to preach them the gospel of Jesus Christ, and I'm going to ask them 41:44.660 --> 41:45.660 about their death. 41:45.660 --> 41:49.580 I'm going to ask them about their soul's eternal destiny, but you know what? 41:49.580 --> 41:51.080 Jesus just wants us to do it. 41:51.600 --> 41:57.640 And his disciples were told, hey, go find this ass, go find this cult, and take that 41:57.640 --> 41:58.640 cult. 41:58.640 --> 42:02.200 And if anyone asks what you're doing, you just say, hey, the Lord has need. 42:02.200 --> 42:03.200 And guess what? 42:03.200 --> 42:05.280 The Lord has need today of laborers. 42:05.280 --> 42:08.560 The Lord has need today of preachers of the gospel. 42:08.560 --> 42:09.560 And you know what? 42:09.560 --> 42:13.480 Yeah, you might encounter some awkward situations in your life out-soulening. 42:13.480 --> 42:14.740 But first, let me tell you this. 42:14.740 --> 42:15.760 It's not as many as you think. 42:16.600 --> 42:18.600 It's really not as many as you think. 42:18.600 --> 42:21.000 I am not constantly running into people I know. 42:21.000 --> 42:25.400 I'm trying to think if I've ever ran into someone I know out-soul-winning in all my years of soul-winning, 42:25.400 --> 42:26.900 I don't think I ever have. 42:26.900 --> 42:28.400 Has anyone before? 42:28.400 --> 42:29.400 Okay. 42:29.400 --> 42:30.900 Eric has? 42:30.900 --> 42:32.200 Okay, a couple people. 42:32.200 --> 42:33.400 But did you guys die? 42:33.400 --> 42:34.700 No, here we are today. 42:34.700 --> 42:35.600 You didn't die. 42:35.600 --> 42:37.900 It's just like, hey, the Lord had need for me to preach this. 42:37.900 --> 42:39.800 Here I am to preach the gospel. 42:39.800 --> 42:41.900 You know what we need to do is just obey Christ. 42:42.100 --> 42:43.560 and not sit here and think about like, 42:43.560 --> 42:45.700 well, what are the social ramifications? 42:45.700 --> 42:46.980 How will I feel? 42:46.980 --> 42:48.300 How will this person feel? 42:48.300 --> 42:50.860 What matters is the Lord has need, right? 42:50.860 --> 42:51.860 The Lord has need today 42:51.860 --> 42:54.160 that we preach the gospel to every creature. 42:54.160 --> 42:56.580 We should do so unapologetically, 42:56.580 --> 42:58.500 not be shy about what we're doing. 42:58.500 --> 43:00.080 You know, hey, the King has sent us. 43:00.080 --> 43:01.700 We're messengers of the King. 43:01.700 --> 43:03.580 We should just do that. 43:03.580 --> 43:05.300 Then notice verse number four. 43:05.800 --> 43:08.600 It says, and they went their way, and I like this phrase, 43:08.600 --> 43:11.680 and found the cult tied by the door 43:11.680 --> 43:15.920 without in a place where two ways met, and they loose him. 43:15.920 --> 43:20.520 And I like how they find this cult exactly how Jesus Christ 43:20.520 --> 43:21.960 said they will find it. 43:21.960 --> 43:22.680 And you know what? 43:22.680 --> 43:24.720 That applies to every area of life, 43:24.720 --> 43:27.640 that you will always find it how Jesus told you, 43:27.640 --> 43:28.400 you will find it. 43:28.400 --> 43:28.600 you 43:28.700 --> 43:34.380 You are not going to ever trust the promises of God, read a scripture, read something in the Bible, 43:34.380 --> 43:39.980 and then actually apply that, actually put God to the test, and find out that God was wrong. 43:39.980 --> 43:45.020 You're never ever going to find that in your life. The Bible says that God is faithful. 43:45.020 --> 43:49.580 And you know, one of the greatest things in life is that everything in this book right here 43:49.580 --> 43:51.740 is just an ironclad guarantee. 43:52.100 --> 43:57.300 that I could just hang my hat on the King James Bible and that, hey, we live in an uncertain world 43:57.300 --> 44:02.900 and you know what, the arm of flesh will fail me and other people will fail me, but Jesus Christ 44:02.900 --> 44:07.300 will never fail me. And if he says, hey, you're gonna go to this random town, you're gonna find 44:07.300 --> 44:11.700 this donkey where no one's ever sat before, you know what, I'm gonna find it exactly as he said. 44:11.700 --> 44:16.660 And you know what, stories like this remind me that in my life I need to trust God. 44:17.600 --> 44:22.400 You know what trusting God is? It's not necessarily like this abstract feeling. 44:22.400 --> 44:26.800 What trusting God is, is reading something in the Bible and actually doing it. 44:27.360 --> 44:31.280 And actually putting God to the test and saying, okay God, I see where you're saying to do this. 44:31.280 --> 44:37.120 You know what? I'm actually going to have the faith to do that and you're always going to find it as Jesus said. 44:37.700 --> 44:43.460 Notice it says in verse number five so Jesus was right here says and certain of them that stood there said unto them 44:43.780 --> 44:45.340 What do ye? 44:45.340 --> 44:47.620 Loosing the colt I don't blame them for asking this question 44:48.180 --> 44:52.360 Imagine someone just comes your house and just starts taking stuff. It's just like what are you doing, man? 44:53.100 --> 44:56.700 What do ye, loosing the cold? Notice, and they said unto them, 44:56.700 --> 45:01.600 even as Jesus had commanded, and they let them go. 45:01.600 --> 45:04.400 So what did they say? They said what Jesus told them to say, 45:04.400 --> 45:07.500 which was what? The Lord hath need of them. 45:07.500 --> 45:10.000 And you know, these people responded to that by saying, 45:10.000 --> 45:11.700 all right, you could take them. 45:11.700 --> 45:14.500 You know, another lesson is that when God says he has need of something, 45:14.500 --> 45:16.000 that's reason enough. 45:16.400 --> 45:20.880 Right, so if God gives me a command in the Bible, he tells me to do something, I hear 45:20.880 --> 45:26.040 preaching that's provoking me to do something in my life, I don't necessarily need to scrutinize 45:26.040 --> 45:30.360 it with my human logic and really just pick it apart with my own human brain. 45:30.360 --> 45:33.640 I just have to say, hey, God has commanded it, therefore I should do it. 45:33.640 --> 45:37.640 Right, because a lot of people today, they look at the Bible and they basically pick 45:37.640 --> 45:42.600 and choose what they do based on what makes sense to them. 45:42.600 --> 45:43.600 This is not faith. 45:44.000 --> 45:50.320 Okay, faith is sometimes hey, I don't see how this makes sense. I don't see how this is gonna benefit my life 45:50.320 --> 45:53.920 I don't see the light at the end of the tunnel, but God has told me to do it 45:53.920 --> 45:58.840 And so I'm going to do it right some people have sacrificed for Christ 45:58.920 --> 46:03.280 Maybe they had a really awesome job, but he was just keeping them totally out of church 46:03.900 --> 46:07.060 And they took that leap of faith to get a better job, 46:07.060 --> 46:08.060 or they could go to church. 46:08.060 --> 46:10.600 You know, before you take a step of faith like that, 46:10.600 --> 46:12.000 you might not see like, okay, well, 46:12.000 --> 46:13.060 where's the money gonna come from? 46:13.060 --> 46:15.500 How am I gonna make enough to survive? 46:15.500 --> 46:17.740 But you know what? God is always faithful. 46:17.740 --> 46:19.380 God always brings us through. 46:19.380 --> 46:23.420 And you know what? God rewards those who take risks in life. 46:23.420 --> 46:26.480 The people who take the biggest risks in life 46:26.480 --> 46:28.980 are the people who God will use the greatest. 46:29.200 --> 46:32.200 I'm not talking about jumping out of an airplane, okay? 46:32.200 --> 46:36.000 By risk, I mean saying like, following what the Bible says, 46:36.000 --> 46:37.300 but I don't understand it. 46:37.300 --> 46:38.800 I don't see the end result. 46:38.800 --> 46:41.200 You know, people who God uses greatly in the Bible 46:41.200 --> 46:43.600 are people who often just take big risks. 46:43.600 --> 46:46.600 How about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? 46:46.600 --> 46:47.600 He's just like, hey. 46:47.800 --> 46:52.680 I believe God will deliver us from the fiery furnace. We're not careful to answer thee, 46:52.680 --> 46:56.680 right? They're just taking a risk. They're going out there and they say, hey, if not, 46:56.680 --> 47:01.160 we'll still not bow. Right? Now here's the thing, because they had that attitude 47:01.160 --> 47:06.360 towards serving God and they were willing to risk their lives, that's how we get great stories 47:06.360 --> 47:08.680 in the Bible like Daniel chapter three. 47:08.900 --> 47:14.720 How would we have these great stories in the Bible if men did not take great risks for the kingdom of God? 47:14.800 --> 47:19.220 Those are people that God's gonna greatly use people that have great faith 47:20.100 --> 47:27.220 Okay, verse seven says this and they brought the cult to Jesus and cast their garments on him and he sat upon him 47:27.220 --> 47:31.700 So now the lord jesus christ is the first one to have ever ridden on this cult 47:32.100 --> 47:36.340 He takes his seat there verse eight and many spread their garments in the way 47:36.740 --> 47:40.900 And others cut down branches off the trees and strawed them in the way 47:41.620 --> 47:45.720 And they that went before and they that followed cried saying hosanna 47:46.100 --> 47:50.000 Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. 47:50.000 --> 47:53.500 Blessed be the kingdom of our father David 47:53.500 --> 47:55.740 that cometh in the name of the Lord, 47:55.740 --> 47:57.980 Hosanna in the highest. 47:57.980 --> 48:00.180 Notice how there's all these people in Jerusalem 48:00.180 --> 48:02.580 that through having read the scripture, 48:02.580 --> 48:05.780 recognize the moment of history that they are living in. 48:06.500 --> 48:09.540 This idea where it's just like, oh, no one in the Old Testament knew. 48:09.540 --> 48:14.820 Well, explain to me why there's all these people before him, behind him, following him. 48:14.820 --> 48:19.620 They're putting branches in the way. They're screaming, Hosanna, which means save now. 48:19.620 --> 48:24.100 Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Notice they tie the kingdom to the lineage of 48:24.100 --> 48:27.060 David, which the Messianic line would come from. 48:27.600 --> 48:32.080 prophesied in the Old Testament, they noticed the time of history they were living in, 48:32.080 --> 48:40.080 they were rejoicing, they were praising God. Go to Psalm 118, Psalm 118. You know, this too, 48:40.640 --> 48:48.800 this moment also is a fulfillment of prophecy. And it's just amazing how much in the Old Testament 48:49.300 --> 48:52.440 goes into detail of the passion of the Lord Jesus Christ 48:52.440 --> 48:55.640 all the way up to his entering into Jerusalem. 48:55.640 --> 48:58.520 I mean, that itself is prophesied of. 48:58.520 --> 48:59.680 Okay, so think about this. 48:59.680 --> 49:03.680 In light of the fact that Jesus is entering Jerusalem 49:03.680 --> 49:06.220 from Bethany, from Bethphage, think about this. 49:06.220 --> 49:07.320 Look at verse number. 49:07.600 --> 49:14.060 Notice, open to me the gates of righteousness. 49:14.060 --> 49:17.680 I will go into them and I will praise the Lord. 49:17.680 --> 49:22.980 This gate of the Lord into which the righteous shall enter. 49:22.980 --> 49:28.880 You know, Jesus Christ is the righteous one who's entering through the gates of Jerusalem 49:28.880 --> 49:32.300 and people are also following him saying, hey, I'll go through the gates of righteousness 49:32.300 --> 49:33.300 too. 49:33.300 --> 49:35.600 And of course, Jesus is the gate of righteousness. 49:35.600 --> 49:42.640 himself. Right? The only way to get into heaven is through Jesus Christ. Notice it says in verse 21, 49:42.640 --> 49:49.440 I will praise thee for thou hast heard me and art become my salvation. What is Jesus going to do? 49:49.440 --> 49:54.880 He's there to purchase salvation. The stone which the builders refused 49:55.400 --> 49:58.140 is become the headstone of the corner. 49:58.140 --> 50:00.900 Of course, Jesus is that great stone. 50:00.900 --> 50:01.740 That who? 50:01.740 --> 50:05.280 The Jews refused, the Jews rejected. 50:05.280 --> 50:08.080 Notice it says the stone which the builders refused 50:08.080 --> 50:10.580 has become the head of the headstone of the corner. 50:10.580 --> 50:12.380 This is the Lord's doing. 50:12.380 --> 50:14.860 It is marvelous in our eyes, right? 50:14.860 --> 50:16.180 People are just saying, hey, 50:16.180 --> 50:17.260 there's a marvelous sight that we're seeing. 50:17.260 --> 50:19.260 We're rejoicing at Jesus coming. 50:20.300 --> 50:26.940 Then it says in verse number 24, This is the day which the Lord hath made. We will rejoice 50:26.940 --> 50:32.940 and be glad in it. You know, we often think about this verse in light of any day and amen. That's a 50:32.940 --> 50:37.580 great way to apply this verse that, you know, today is the day that the Lord hath made. But also, 50:37.580 --> 50:43.500 this was a very special day when Jesus is entering Jerusalem. This is a special day that they get to 50:43.500 --> 50:48.140 see. Notice it says in verse 25, Save now. You know, that is Hosanna. 50:48.300 --> 50:54.900 11. Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord. O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. Blessed 50:54.900 --> 51:00.740 be he that cometh in the name of the Lord. We have blessed you out of the house of the 51:00.740 --> 51:04.840 Lord. So right there in verse 26 is where we really know, okay, this is the prophecy 51:04.840 --> 51:09.980 of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. You know, what a great thing to see how scripture is 51:09.980 --> 51:14.980 being fulfilled. Go back to Mark chapter number 11. Mark chapter number 11. Also, I want to 51:14.980 --> 51:15.580 point out that. 51:16.200 --> 51:20.920 There's quite a dichotomy in this chapter because as Jesus is entering into Jerusalem, 51:20.920 --> 51:27.480 you have a crowd of people that is celebrating him, cheering him on, excited, praising him, 51:27.480 --> 51:32.040 but he's also entering into the same city where there's going to be crowds of people 51:32.040 --> 51:37.560 chanting, crucify him. His blood be on us and on our children, crucify him. You know, 51:37.560 --> 51:42.280 this is the world that we live in is that there are people who are receptive and there are the 51:42.280 --> 51:42.780 The Wicked. 51:43.100 --> 51:47.660 Right. We are always as long as we're on this earth, we're going to be living amongst both of these. 51:47.660 --> 51:51.020 But we as Christians, our goal is to find those who are receptive, 51:51.020 --> 51:56.780 those who are excited about Jesus Christ. Verse number 11. This is kind of an ominous, 51:56.780 --> 52:02.940 interesting verse. It says, and Jesus entered into Jerusalem and into the temple. 52:03.600 --> 52:07.640 And when he had looked round about upon all things, 52:07.640 --> 52:09.740 and now the even tide was come, 52:09.740 --> 52:12.540 he went out unto Bethany with the twelve. 52:12.540 --> 52:13.540 So get the picture here. 52:13.540 --> 52:16.880 Jesus just rides in on this cult. 52:16.880 --> 52:18.680 He goes into the gates of Jerusalem. 52:18.680 --> 52:21.980 He enters the temple, and he just kind of looks around. 52:21.980 --> 52:23.020 I mean, don't miss that right there. 52:23.020 --> 52:24.620 He's just kind of looking around. 52:24.620 --> 52:27.420 He's just surveying the scene, surveying the city, 52:27.420 --> 52:29.260 surveying the temple, and then what do they do? 52:29.260 --> 52:30.260 They just leave. 52:30.500 --> 52:37.100 Kind of interesting, right? But we're going to come back to this because I think this is definitely symbolic of something that we're about to read. Look at verse 12. 52:37.600 --> 52:44.560 It says on the morrow, next day here, when they were come from Bethany, he's going back to Jerusalem, 52:44.560 --> 52:50.240 he was hungry. And of course this is also a good reminder that Jesus Christ was fully man. He was 52:50.240 --> 52:56.000 tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin. Jesus Christ's hunger that we're reading about 52:56.000 --> 52:59.200 right here is real physical hunger. 52:59.500 --> 53:02.540 but there's also a spiritual application here as well. 53:02.540 --> 53:03.580 He's hungry. 53:03.580 --> 53:04.840 Verse 13, it says, 53:04.840 --> 53:09.840 and seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, 53:09.840 --> 53:14.160 he came if happily he might find anything thereon. 53:14.160 --> 53:18.820 And when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves. 53:18.820 --> 53:21.260 For the time of figs was not yet. 53:21.260 --> 53:23.560 So he sees a fig tree far off. 53:24.100 --> 53:26.220 And when he looks at this fig tree, 53:26.220 --> 53:30.460 there's kind of outward signs of life on this fig tree, right? 53:30.460 --> 53:33.700 He sees leaves, and by seeing the leaves, 53:33.700 --> 53:35.860 he's hoping he's going to show up to the tree, 53:35.860 --> 53:37.740 and he's going to be able to inspect this tree. 53:37.740 --> 53:39.300 And what is he hoping to find? 53:39.400 --> 53:44.200 fruit. Okay. I don't think it's a coincidence that a couple of verses before, you know what 53:44.200 --> 53:48.800 Jesus came and did? He entered into Jerusalem and he kind of looked around. He entered the 53:48.800 --> 53:53.560 temple and he kind of looked around. I think this is symbolic of the fact that Jesus Christ 53:53.560 --> 53:58.160 came to this earth and he looked at Israel. He looked at the nation of Israel. He looked 53:58.160 --> 54:02.400 at the temple. He looked at the Jews. And you know what? They have some leaves. They 54:02.400 --> 54:06.940 have some outward manifestation of life. They have the word of God. They have the service 54:06.940 --> 54:07.400 of God. 54:07.400 --> 54:08.800 But you know what they're missing? 54:08.800 --> 54:09.640 Fruit. 54:09.900 --> 54:17.340 No fruit. And you know what? Jesus ends up cursing this fig tree, which is symbolic of Jesus cursing the nation of Israel and 54:17.740 --> 54:23.500 cursing the Jews. Because Jesus Christ, you know, the Jews were God's chosen people in the Old Testament, 54:24.020 --> 54:28.160 not just to beat their own chests, but so that they can bring forth fruit. 54:28.260 --> 54:35.480 That was the whole point of them being God's chosen people. And you know what? He goes to Jerusalem and he's found that there is no fruit. 54:35.800 --> 54:39.160 He's found, oh, they've got leaves, but there is no fruit. 54:39.160 --> 54:44.360 Matthew 21, if you will, Matthew chapter number 21. 54:44.360 --> 54:46.200 Look at verse number 41. 54:48.400 --> 54:53.200 It says, They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out 54:53.200 --> 54:58.960 his vineyard unto other husband men, which shall render him the fruits in their season. 54:58.960 --> 55:02.800 Saying, hey, God doesn't want to let out His vineyard to people that are not producing 55:02.800 --> 55:03.800 fruit. 55:03.800 --> 55:08.160 He's going to destroy those wicked men, those miserable men, and He's going to give it to 55:08.160 --> 55:09.160 people who are what? 55:09.160 --> 55:10.800 Going to bring forth fruit. 55:10.800 --> 55:16.400 Verse 42, Jesus saith unto them, Did you never read the scriptures, the stone? 55:16.400 --> 55:21.840 which the builders rejected. The same has become the head of the corner. This is the Lord's doing, 55:21.840 --> 55:28.080 and it is marvelous in our eyes. We just read that in Psalm 118, didn't we? Verse 43, Therefore, 55:28.080 --> 55:34.960 say I unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation, what? 55:34.960 --> 55:37.440 Bringing forth the fruits thereof. 55:38.500 --> 55:44.660 So notice Jesus Christ, he goes to the house of Israel and he notices, hey, there's no fruit here. 55:44.660 --> 55:50.420 And so what he does is he curses them and replaces them with the New Testament church, 55:50.980 --> 55:56.900 with believers in Jesus Christ. The Bible talks about how we as Christians are a chosen 55:56.900 --> 56:04.260 generation, a royal priesthood, a peculiar people that we are supposed to show forth the praises of 56:04.260 --> 56:06.500 God in our lives. 56:06.500 --> 56:09.200 Let's go back to Mark chapter number 11. 56:09.200 --> 56:10.200 Mark chapter number 11. 56:10.200 --> 56:15.840 So he sees this tree, he finds nothing but leaves, then in verse number 14, says, 56:15.840 --> 56:23.220 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter forever. 56:23.220 --> 56:24.980 And his disciples heard it. 56:25.400 --> 56:28.400 So again, this is not just some coincidence that's happening here. 56:28.400 --> 56:29.700 This is very symbolic. 56:29.700 --> 56:30.900 Okay, it was literal. 56:30.900 --> 56:32.100 There's real hunger. 56:32.100 --> 56:33.900 Jesus was really looking for some fruit. 56:33.900 --> 56:35.400 He went to a real fig tree. 56:35.400 --> 56:37.100 It really had, you know, leaves. 56:37.100 --> 56:39.500 It wasn't bringing forth fruit and he just cursed this thing. 56:39.500 --> 56:43.800 He's like, hey, no man eat of thee from henceforth and forever. 56:43.800 --> 56:48.700 And I think again, the primary application is the nation of Israel themselves 56:48.700 --> 56:50.300 that they were not bringing forth fruit. 56:50.300 --> 56:50.700 But you know what? 56:50.700 --> 56:53.300 I think this could also be applied today. 56:53.400 --> 56:58.600 to churches, to Christians, to nations that are not being fruitful. 56:58.600 --> 57:02.600 Notice he comes up to this tree, and you know what the Bible says of this tree? 57:02.600 --> 57:06.680 There was nothing but leaves. It's just a show. 57:06.900 --> 57:09.700 It's just an outward manifestation, 57:09.700 --> 57:11.500 but when you get a little closer, 57:11.500 --> 57:13.380 it's like, oh, there's no fruit here. 57:13.380 --> 57:15.480 Oh man, the temple in Jerusalem. 57:15.480 --> 57:16.620 What a beautiful building. 57:16.620 --> 57:19.880 Jesus walks in, he inspects, he looks around, 57:19.880 --> 57:21.460 and you know what he found in the nation of Israel? 57:21.460 --> 57:23.880 No fruit, not bringing forth fruit. 57:23.880 --> 57:26.120 Let me tell you what, there are a lot of churches today 57:26.120 --> 57:27.700 where they might as well just put a big sign 57:27.700 --> 57:28.620 on their building that says, 57:28.620 --> 57:31.000 nothing but leaves Baptist Church. 57:31.500 --> 57:35.500 There are a lot of churches today that are just nothing but leaves. 57:35.500 --> 57:37.500 And let me tell you what, don't be fooled. 57:37.500 --> 57:39.500 There are churches today, they have a big building. 57:39.500 --> 57:41.500 They've got lots of money. 57:41.500 --> 57:44.500 They've got this outward manifestation of life. 57:44.500 --> 57:47.500 They've got all these programs and they're nationally renowned 57:47.500 --> 57:49.500 and they're big shots and all that. 57:49.500 --> 57:51.500 But if they're not soul winning, you know what they are? 57:51.500 --> 57:52.500 Nothing but leaves. 57:53.000 --> 58:00.500 And here is the truth, Jesus Christ is under no obligation to bless a church that is nothing but leaves. 58:01.500 --> 58:05.660 Oftentimes the reason a church becomes great is because it was very fruitful. 58:05.660 --> 58:11.100 It was bringing forth fruit. But oftentimes success can just cause man to get lazy, 58:11.100 --> 58:15.740 to get complacent, to feel like you don't have to work as hard, you don't have to work as hard 58:15.740 --> 58:20.300 reaching people, you don't have to spend as much time on your face praying to God and begging 58:20.300 --> 58:24.700 for His grace and His power on your life. And a lot of people, they build a big church and then 58:24.700 --> 58:25.800 and then they just coast? 58:25.900 --> 58:31.900 And you know that's a dangerous position for a church to be in because a lot of churches are just nothing but leaves. 58:31.900 --> 58:36.400 I think you could even look at some of the ex-New IFB churches who have split from us, 58:36.400 --> 58:39.900 who you would look at their church and at one point they were awesome. 58:39.900 --> 58:45.700 At one point they're bringing forth a lot of fruit and you look at those places today and they're nothing but leaves. 58:46.200 --> 58:52.920 A lot of big Baptist Bible colleges in America today were started by fiery preachers, by people 58:52.920 --> 58:58.200 who were just obsessed with soul winning and just leading national efforts of soul winning, 58:58.200 --> 59:03.720 and they became this great institution. And today you look at them and they are nothing but leaves. 59:04.200 --> 59:07.200 Not only churches, even individuals in life. 59:07.200 --> 59:10.040 Some individuals can look good on the outside. 59:10.040 --> 59:11.540 They could have people fooled, 59:11.540 --> 59:13.500 but you know, you don't have Jesus Christ fooled 59:13.500 --> 59:14.880 if you're nothing but leaves. 59:15.780 --> 59:17.320 Some people, you look at them from a distance 59:17.320 --> 59:20.080 and it's like, oh, okay, you know, suit and tie, 59:20.080 --> 59:22.040 nice looking family, everything's great. 59:22.040 --> 59:24.000 But it's like, but where's the soul in it? 59:24.600 --> 59:28.600 You know what? And if you're not a soul winner, in a lot of ways, you're just nothing believes right now. 59:28.600 --> 59:33.600 And you want to make it to where Jesus Christ can inspect your life and actually find fruit there. 59:33.600 --> 59:39.600 Because what happens to the tree that's not bringing forth fruit? Jesus ends up cursing this tree. 59:39.600 --> 59:43.600 And while of course he's not going to curse a Christian, we're not going to lose our salvation or anything like that, 59:43.600 --> 59:48.600 we certainly can become, what, a castaway, 1 Corinthians 9 says. 59:48.600 --> 59:52.240 The apostle Paul is saying, hey, I keep my body under subjection, right? 59:52.240 --> 59:52.600 Less by 59:52.600 --> 59:57.320 any means when I preach to others, I myself have become a cast away, someone who's no 59:57.320 --> 01:00:02.320 longer being used by God, so as being cast away from the ministry or their purpose that 01:00:02.320 --> 01:00:08.520 they have. We need to be fruitful. And it does not matter what the size of a church 01:00:08.520 --> 01:00:14.000 is. It does not matter whatever you think, you know, our outward circumstances are. We 01:00:14.000 --> 01:00:15.720 just need to focus on bringing forth fruit. 01:00:16.000 --> 01:00:20.400 Every church needs to focus on bringing forth fruit go to Revelation chapter number two 01:00:21.400 --> 01:00:25.060 Revelation chapter number two. I just love the symbolism in this chapter 01:00:25.060 --> 01:00:27.900 He literally I mean, why do you think the Bible tells us this? 01:00:27.900 --> 01:00:34.040 The Bible doesn't give us just random details that we don't need. Why does the Bible tell us that Jesus walked into the temple? 01:00:34.560 --> 01:00:40.620 Looked around and then walked right out. You know what it makes me think of Revelation 2 look what the Bible says in verse 1 01:00:41.400 --> 01:00:45.800 unto the angel, that's the pastor, of the church of Ephesus write, 01:00:45.800 --> 01:00:50.400 these things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, 01:00:50.400 --> 01:00:55.200 who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. 01:00:55.200 --> 01:00:59.500 Okay, the seven stars are the seven pastors, if you read Revelation 1, 01:00:59.500 --> 01:01:02.000 the candlesticks are the churches themselves. 01:01:02.000 --> 01:01:04.000 Okay, that's defined in Revelation 1.20. 01:01:04.000 --> 01:01:06.600 And so Jesus is walking in the midst of... 01:01:07.000 --> 01:01:11.720 the church in the midst of churches just like he did in Mark 11. Notice verse 2, 01:01:11.720 --> 01:01:17.720 I know thy works and thy labor and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil 01:01:17.720 --> 01:01:22.360 and thou'st tried them which say they are apostles and are not and has found them liars 01:01:22.360 --> 01:01:28.520 and has born and has patience and for my name's sake has labored and has not fainted. You know 01:01:28.520 --> 01:01:31.880 what he could say you could say that hey from a distance this church has some leaves. 01:01:32.600 --> 01:01:37.720 Right from a distance this church has some signs of life and some good things and maybe from a 01:01:37.720 --> 01:01:41.960 distance you're like oh this is great this is awesome i'm going to find some fruit here when 01:01:41.960 --> 01:01:47.320 i get there but notice verse number three verse number four excuse me nevertheless i have somewhat 01:01:47.320 --> 01:01:54.200 against thee because thou hast left thy first love what's the first love look at verse five 01:01:54.200 --> 01:02:00.040 remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do the first works 01:02:00.700 --> 01:02:07.820 Or else, I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, 01:02:07.820 --> 01:02:12.460 except thou repent." What are the first works? Well, what was the first thing 01:02:12.460 --> 01:02:16.300 Jesus Christ told his disciples to do in Mark chapter 1? It was, 01:02:16.300 --> 01:02:19.100 follow me and I'll make you to become fishers of men. 01:02:19.600 --> 01:02:23.920 When you think about the first works in terms of importance, what is it? 01:02:23.920 --> 01:02:27.120 Go you there for in all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 01:02:27.120 --> 01:02:31.200 There's nothing more important than getting people saved, then preaching the gospel. 01:02:31.200 --> 01:02:34.960 And you know what? You show your love for this world, for your neighbor, 01:02:34.960 --> 01:02:38.800 and for God by being a soul winner. So the first love, soul winning. 01:02:38.800 --> 01:02:43.920 The first works is soul winning. And he's saying, hey, you have all this outward appearance of life. 01:02:43.920 --> 01:02:47.520 You've got all these leaves, but I've just got one thing against you. It's when 01:02:47.600 --> 01:02:51.220 I came to your fig tree and I found no fruit thereon." 01:02:51.220 --> 01:02:54.720 And he says, hey, repent, what time did he say? 01:02:54.720 --> 01:02:55.720 Quickly. 01:02:55.720 --> 01:02:56.880 Repent quickly or he's going to do what? 01:02:56.880 --> 01:03:00.600 He's going to remove the candlestick out of its place saying, hey, I'm going to remove 01:03:00.600 --> 01:03:03.980 my blessing upon you as being a legit church. 01:03:03.980 --> 01:03:08.320 We must never forget that the only way we could succeed in life is with Jesus Christ's 01:03:08.320 --> 01:03:09.400 hand upon us. 01:03:09.800 --> 01:03:13.320 and great churches today, big churches that have built big ministries, 01:03:13.320 --> 01:03:17.320 you could have all the money in the world. If Jesus Christ takes away your candlestick, 01:03:17.320 --> 01:03:21.560 you are not going to thrive. You are not going to succeed. You are not going to be greatly used 01:03:21.560 --> 01:03:26.280 by God. So, you know, what should be the primary focus of our church above all else? 01:03:26.280 --> 01:03:33.240 It's preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is our number one mission is to go forth into 01:03:33.240 --> 01:03:36.040 all the world and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. 01:03:36.600 --> 01:03:42.720 Now, what's crazy today is even though this is the first works in importance, chronologically 01:03:42.720 --> 01:03:46.800 was the first works, this seems to not be important to the vast majority of churches 01:03:46.800 --> 01:03:48.320 today. 01:03:48.320 --> 01:03:51.940 Which is crazy if you fear God and realize that hey, the same God that could just curse 01:03:51.940 --> 01:03:54.440 this fig tree can also curse your church. 01:03:54.800 --> 01:03:58.560 could also make your church no longer be fruitful. And some people would just say like, 01:03:58.560 --> 01:04:03.840 well, you know, how is it benefiting you to just go all over Oklahoma? You know, since we've 01:04:03.840 --> 01:04:08.320 become an independent church, I think we've hit like 19 towns in Oklahoma. It's just like, 01:04:08.320 --> 01:04:12.240 why are you just spending all this money and just all this time ministering people who are 01:04:12.240 --> 01:04:15.760 never going to come to your church? I'll tell you why, because Jesus is walking in the midst 01:04:15.760 --> 01:04:20.320 of the churches today. And Jesus Christ is looking for those who are bringing forth fruit. 01:04:20.320 --> 01:04:22.800 And you know what I believe is that when God sees a 01:04:22.800 --> 01:04:26.800 3 bringing forth fruit, he's going to bless that tree. 01:04:26.800 --> 01:04:28.560 Now I'm going to preach a sermon about this soon. 01:04:28.560 --> 01:04:30.000 The Bible teaches you reap what you sow. 01:04:30.000 --> 01:04:31.000 Right? 01:04:31.000 --> 01:04:35.740 Now if I'm going to plant a tree, it might take a while for it to bear fruit, but I believe 01:04:35.740 --> 01:04:40.320 that if we just stay consistent planting in this world, preaching the gospel of Jesus 01:04:40.320 --> 01:04:44.240 Christ, that God is going to greatly bless Anchor Baptist Church. 01:04:44.240 --> 01:04:45.240 And you know what? 01:04:45.240 --> 01:04:48.080 I believe that big churches today that think they're so high and mighty and think they've 01:04:48.080 --> 01:04:50.560 arrived, look, they better take heed lest they fall. 01:04:51.200 --> 01:04:54.240 You stop preaching the gospel, God will take away your candlestick. 01:04:54.240 --> 01:04:58.640 And you know, even in your own life, you want to make sure that God doesn't look down from heaven 01:04:58.640 --> 01:05:03.680 and say, hey, this person is nothing but leaves, just all a show, but they're not bringing forth 01:05:03.680 --> 01:05:08.160 any fruit. Make sure you're being fruitful. How do you do that? Go soul winning. Join us out soul 01:05:08.160 --> 01:05:15.280 winning. Okay. Also, I'm sorry, go to Matthew chapter number seven. Matthew chapter number seven, 01:05:15.280 --> 01:05:17.920 when he talks about bringing forth fruit, it also makes me think of 01:05:18.500 --> 01:05:24.020 false prophets. Now, some people are confused by this, but the Bible makes it very clear 01:05:24.020 --> 01:05:29.620 that false prophets cannot bear good fruit. That false prophets are not getting anyone saved, 01:05:29.620 --> 01:05:35.380 and in fact, unsaved people in general are not getting anyone saved. Matthew 7, look at verse number 15. 01:05:36.000 --> 01:05:42.480 What's the context? Jesus said, Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, 01:05:42.480 --> 01:05:47.280 but inwardly they are ravening wolves. So notice the outward appearance of a false 01:05:47.280 --> 01:05:52.160 prophet is a little bit deceiving, just like this fig tree, where you look at it from a different, 01:05:52.160 --> 01:05:56.560 from a distance, you're like, Oh, that's a sheep. You look at it from a distance. It's all that fig 01:05:56.560 --> 01:06:02.080 tree has leaves. It must be good. It must have fruit, but notice inwardly they're ravening wolves. 01:06:02.800 --> 01:06:06.960 Notice, he shall know them by their fruits. 01:06:06.960 --> 01:06:11.960 Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles? 01:06:11.960 --> 01:06:19.320 Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil 01:06:19.320 --> 01:06:20.320 fruit. 01:06:20.320 --> 01:06:25.120 The Bible talks about how the fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that winneth 01:06:25.120 --> 01:06:27.260 souls is wise. 01:06:27.260 --> 01:06:29.060 What is the fruit of a soul winner? 01:06:29.060 --> 01:06:29.900 another Christian. 01:06:30.400 --> 01:06:34.720 Right? We are the ones as saved Christians, as preachers of the gospel, 01:06:34.720 --> 01:06:39.200 going forth into this world and bringing forth fruit by getting people saved. 01:06:39.200 --> 01:06:44.080 Now, not every Christian is doing this, and I would not say that they're a bad tree 01:06:44.080 --> 01:06:47.760 because they're not bringing forth corrupt fruit, they're just not bringing forth any fruit. 01:06:47.760 --> 01:06:50.560 And you know, that's a shame if a tree is not bringing forth any fruit. 01:06:50.560 --> 01:06:53.280 You know, why cum berith it the ground, the Bible teaches. 01:06:53.600 --> 01:06:56.300 But false prophets are the bad trees, and what do they do? 01:06:56.300 --> 01:06:58.740 They bring forth evil fruit. 01:06:58.740 --> 01:07:00.700 What did Jesus say in Matthew 23? 01:07:00.700 --> 01:07:02.540 He's like, hey, you compass sea and land 01:07:02.540 --> 01:07:05.240 to make one proselyte, and when he is made, 01:07:05.240 --> 01:07:09.340 you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. 01:07:09.600 --> 01:07:15.120 So what are false prophets producing? They're producing reprobates. They're producing other 01:07:15.120 --> 01:07:21.120 people that are damned to hell and not saved. This is why we preach against the Mormon missionaries 01:07:21.120 --> 01:07:27.440 and preach against the Catholic priests because they are sending people to hell. Notice he says in 01:07:27.440 --> 01:07:28.400 verse number 01:07:28.700 --> 01:07:34.780 18 a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit notice neither 01:07:35.460 --> 01:07:39.120 Can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit by the way this verse? 01:07:39.700 --> 01:07:42.600 should go to show you that when it's talking about fruit, 01:07:42.600 --> 01:07:44.800 it's not talking about good works. 01:07:44.800 --> 01:07:46.600 Okay, it's such a frustrating view 01:07:46.600 --> 01:07:49.200 that so many people would go to Matthew 7 and say, 01:07:49.200 --> 01:07:51.240 hey, you'll know them by their fruits. 01:07:51.240 --> 01:07:52.540 And what they mean by that is, 01:07:52.540 --> 01:07:55.080 well, a good pastor or a good Christian 01:07:55.080 --> 01:07:56.680 is gonna do good things, 01:07:56.680 --> 01:07:58.540 and a bad Christian or someone who's not saved 01:07:58.540 --> 01:07:59.640 is gonna do bad things. 01:07:59.640 --> 01:08:01.100 Okay, well, let's think about that. 01:08:01.300 --> 01:08:02.500 Let's plug that in. 01:08:02.500 --> 01:08:06.740 Even so, every Christian, whatever, bringeth forth good fruit, 01:08:06.740 --> 01:08:08.740 but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 01:08:08.740 --> 01:08:11.220 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. 01:08:11.220 --> 01:08:12.900 Are you saying that Christians can't sin? 01:08:13.940 --> 01:08:16.900 That people who are saved can't do something wicked? 01:08:16.900 --> 01:08:18.180 Because if that's what you're talking about, 01:08:18.180 --> 01:08:23.700 the Bible says a good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit, evil fruit. 01:08:23.700 --> 01:08:25.940 Notice, neither can a corrupt tree. 01:08:26.500 --> 01:08:28.000 Bring forth good fruit. 01:08:28.000 --> 01:08:30.200 It's just saying that people who are unsaved, 01:08:30.200 --> 01:08:32.400 they can't perform good actions. 01:08:32.400 --> 01:08:35.100 It's like, what's the whole reason that they're deceptive 01:08:35.100 --> 01:08:37.100 is because they have sheep's clothing? 01:08:37.400 --> 01:08:39.920 is because from a distance on the outside, 01:08:39.920 --> 01:08:40.960 you might look at them and say, 01:08:40.960 --> 01:08:42.800 oh, what a nice person. 01:08:42.800 --> 01:08:44.440 They speak kindly. 01:08:44.440 --> 01:08:45.960 Oh, they don't yell and scream. 01:08:45.960 --> 01:08:47.560 Oh, look, they give money. 01:08:47.560 --> 01:08:48.880 They give food to the homeless. 01:08:48.880 --> 01:08:50.880 And people think like, oh, good tree. 01:08:50.880 --> 01:08:51.720 What is this talking about? 01:08:51.720 --> 01:08:53.320 It's talking about converts. 01:08:53.320 --> 01:08:55.080 Is one way of looking at it is, hey, 01:08:55.080 --> 01:08:57.520 someone who is unsafe, a bad tree, 01:08:57.520 --> 01:08:59.840 cannot bring forth good fruit. 01:08:59.840 --> 01:09:03.160 An unsafe person cannot get someone saved. 01:09:03.160 --> 01:09:05.000 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God 01:09:05.000 --> 01:09:05.400 and guess what? 01:09:05.400 --> 01:09:08.600 what that word of God needs to be preached. The Bible talks about how it's from faith 01:09:08.600 --> 01:09:14.540 to faith in Romans chapter number one. Okay, notice verse 19, this is every tree that bringeth 01:09:14.540 --> 01:09:22.000 forth not good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye 01:09:22.000 --> 01:09:26.760 shall know them. Right? So how is it that we know when Jesus shows up on the scene, 01:09:26.760 --> 01:09:31.460 how does he know that the Sadducees and the Pharisees that they're bad trees because they're 01:09:31.460 --> 01:09:32.500 not bringing forth good fruit. 01:09:33.000 --> 01:09:38.040 nation of Israel failed in bringing forth fruit. That's how we know that they are bad trees. Also, 01:09:38.600 --> 01:09:43.960 a good way to look at this in verse number 21 is it says this, not everyone that notice sayeth unto 01:09:43.960 --> 01:09:49.160 me, Lord, Lord shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that do at the will of my father, 01:09:49.160 --> 01:09:54.360 which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy 01:09:54.360 --> 01:09:59.560 name and in thy name of cast out devils and in thy name done many wonderful works. 01:10:00.200 --> 01:10:04.200 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from me, ye that work in 01:10:04.200 --> 01:10:05.200 equity. 01:10:05.200 --> 01:10:10.100 Another way to judge a tree is by the fruit of the lips, the things that people say. 01:10:10.100 --> 01:10:14.100 How is it that we primarily determine whether someone is a good or a bad tree? 01:10:14.100 --> 01:10:15.100 It's what they say. 01:10:15.100 --> 01:10:16.840 How do you know, you know how I go soul winning? 01:10:16.840 --> 01:10:20.040 I ask people what they believe and I listen to the words that come out of their mouth 01:10:20.040 --> 01:10:22.640 and I immediately know whether or not this person is saved or unsaved. 01:10:23.000 --> 01:10:26.760 How do I know someone's a false prophet? Do I just follow them around all day? 01:10:26.760 --> 01:10:30.200 Do I have to go soul winning with them? Now if I went soul winning with them I could tell. 01:10:30.200 --> 01:10:34.200 Okay, but you know how I could tell even before that is just listen to them preach. 01:10:34.200 --> 01:10:37.800 How do I know someone's a false prophet? Because they teach a false gospel. 01:10:37.800 --> 01:10:41.720 There you go, it's pretty simple. Many will say to me, oh have not we done many 01:10:41.720 --> 01:10:46.680 wonderful works? Someone preaches, you know, a works based salvation. You know what I know about them? 01:10:46.680 --> 01:10:47.680 Bad tree. 01:10:48.200 --> 01:10:51.120 False prophet, oh you didn't spend time with them, I don't need to. 01:10:51.120 --> 01:10:53.120 I just need to listen to the words that they say. 01:10:53.120 --> 01:10:56.360 And if you teach damnable heresy, guess what, you're not saved. 01:10:56.360 --> 01:10:58.760 Go to Mark chapter number 11. 01:10:58.760 --> 01:10:59.960 Mark chapter number 11. 01:11:02.200 --> 01:11:05.560 So let's tie this all together. Now it's coming back to Jerusalem. It says, 01:11:05.560 --> 01:11:11.160 And they come to Jerusalem. And Jesus went into the temple and began to cast out them that sold 01:11:11.160 --> 01:11:17.080 and bought in the temple and overthrew the tables of the money changers and the seats of them that 01:11:17.080 --> 01:11:21.240 sold doves and would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. 01:11:21.800 --> 01:11:26.520 And he taught saying unto them, is it not written, my house shall be called of all nations, 01:11:26.520 --> 01:11:27.400 the house of prayer. 01:11:28.200 --> 01:11:30.640 but ye have made it a den of thieves." 01:11:30.640 --> 01:11:32.540 The scribes and the chief priests heard it, 01:11:32.540 --> 01:11:34.680 and they sought how they might destroy him, 01:11:34.680 --> 01:11:36.620 for they feared him, because all the people 01:11:36.620 --> 01:11:38.620 was astonished at his doctrine. 01:11:38.620 --> 01:11:41.520 When evening was come, he went out of the city. 01:11:41.520 --> 01:11:43.080 All right, he walks into the temple. 01:11:43.080 --> 01:11:44.400 He inspects. 01:11:44.400 --> 01:11:45.600 He goes back to Bethany. 01:11:45.800 --> 01:11:49.960 Then he's on his way to Jerusalem. He sees the fig tree. It's not bringing forth fruit. 01:11:49.960 --> 01:11:53.960 He curses that fig tree. He comes back to the temple. And what does he find? 01:11:53.960 --> 01:11:58.120 What does he find? The Old Testament religion has turned into, it's turned into this Jewish 01:11:58.120 --> 01:12:02.680 money-making scheme, right? So they're not bringing forth fruit unto God, but they sure 01:12:02.680 --> 01:12:07.240 have no problem bringing forth fruit unto themselves. And you know what that made Jesus do? 01:12:07.240 --> 01:12:09.160 It made Jesus flip out. 01:12:09.900 --> 01:12:15.900 Jesus is getting angry and of course he's not soon angry. He planned this he did this in a controlled way 01:12:15.900 --> 01:12:20.120 But he shows up and he literally starts flipping tables 01:12:20.700 --> 01:12:22.700 And you know the Bible says that they feared him 01:12:23.000 --> 01:12:28.440 Right? So Jesus is not, you know, this Todd white, long haired, soft-spoken hippie or something like that. 01:12:28.440 --> 01:12:33.000 Jesus enters the table and starts physically flipping over the tables. 01:12:33.000 --> 01:12:37.240 You can imagine just coins everywhere, merchandise everywhere. 01:12:37.240 --> 01:12:39.240 Notice another detail that was given us there. 01:12:39.240 --> 01:12:45.800 It says in verse 16, and would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. 01:12:46.100 --> 01:12:48.300 So people are trying to carry their merchandise. 01:12:48.300 --> 01:12:50.300 Jesus said, no, I'm not going to let you do that. 01:12:50.300 --> 01:12:51.300 I mean, what does he do? 01:12:51.300 --> 01:12:53.100 He's probably flipping it out of their hands. 01:12:53.100 --> 01:12:55.100 He's probably, and you read parallel accounts, 01:12:55.100 --> 01:12:56.100 you know what he's doing? 01:12:56.100 --> 01:12:59.600 He has a whip that he made, and he's literally beating people. 01:12:59.600 --> 01:13:01.800 So hey, they're trying to carry out their merchandise, 01:13:01.800 --> 01:13:05.300 and he's just whipping them, physically assaulting them, 01:13:05.300 --> 01:13:06.900 flipping over their tables. 01:13:06.900 --> 01:13:07.500 You know what? 01:13:07.500 --> 01:13:09.300 My savior flips out from time to time. 01:13:10.000 --> 01:13:14.200 Jesus Christ is not this effeminate, soft, weak, anything goes man. 01:13:14.200 --> 01:13:17.500 No, no, no, Jesus walks into the temple and he walks in with authority 01:13:17.500 --> 01:13:22.100 and he's the Lord of that temple, he's the King of Kings and he just starts flipping things over. 01:13:22.100 --> 01:13:25.300 And you know, I can't help but wonder how much today 01:13:25.300 --> 01:13:28.500 Jesus would just flip out over if he came to churches today. 01:13:29.400 --> 01:13:33.920 I mean, I think if Jesus visited the average church in America today, I think he would 01:13:33.920 --> 01:13:35.960 flip out. 01:13:35.960 --> 01:13:36.960 You know why? 01:13:36.960 --> 01:13:40.840 Because most churches today are buying and selling in the house of God, which is the 01:13:40.840 --> 01:13:42.840 exact context of the thing he was upset about. 01:13:43.500 --> 01:13:48.620 I know it's crazy, I heard this old IFB pastor, I want to say he's in his 80s now, he's been 01:13:48.620 --> 01:13:52.860 retired for a long time, but he has this ministry where he just like gives advice to the next 01:13:52.860 --> 01:13:53.860 generation. 01:13:53.860 --> 01:13:58.260 And some of the advice that he gives is good, but one thing that just really upset me was 01:13:58.260 --> 01:14:01.700 I heard this guy giving advice and he's like, all right, pastor, one thing you need to do 01:14:01.700 --> 01:14:05.020 right away is you need to set up a bookstore in your church. 01:14:05.600 --> 01:14:10.900 You need to set up a bookstore and you need to you know sell your books or sell good books of other pastors 01:14:10.900 --> 01:14:12.900 You know what? That's a sin 01:14:13.320 --> 01:14:18.840 That is wicked to be buying and selling in the house of God. We're not gonna have a bookstore 01:14:18.840 --> 01:14:22.680 We're not gonna have a coffee shop. You know what everything in this church is free 01:14:23.120 --> 01:14:28.640 The Bible's free the material for out-soul winning free. Did you know that is not that way in a lot of churches? 01:14:28.640 --> 01:14:31.400 I went to a church where they charge you for the material 01:14:32.100 --> 01:14:37.060 an old I have be church that did that. Hey, the materials free. You want a hymnal. It's free. 01:14:37.060 --> 01:14:42.180 You want a Bible. It's free. You want coffee. It's free. Hey, you want to stay at a hotel 01:14:42.180 --> 01:14:46.740 in Joplin and go soul winning with us. It's free. Right. Because we don't want to make the service 01:14:46.740 --> 01:14:52.260 of God into some sort of money making scheme. Now look, obviously the house of God requires money. 01:14:52.260 --> 01:14:55.140 And you know, God has ordained for that to be done is through the tithe. 01:14:55.600 --> 01:15:00.480 right? But it's not like it's so frustrating people are giving their tithe, they're paying their tithe 01:15:00.480 --> 01:15:05.840 to the Lord and then it's like on top of that, hey we have an activity but you gotta pay, we have a 01:15:05.840 --> 01:15:09.520 meal but you gotta pay. It's like why don't we just use the money for the work of God? 01:15:10.720 --> 01:15:15.200 And you know what I don't think the pastor should be shy in spending the money and using it for the 01:15:15.200 --> 01:15:19.920 things of God. Hey you know what the money is going to burn up someday let's use it for the work of God. 01:15:20.000 --> 01:15:23.200 Let's use it for the house of God. Let's use it for the ministers of God. 01:15:23.200 --> 01:15:26.500 Hey, let's use it for soul winners preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. 01:15:26.500 --> 01:15:28.300 But you know what? We're not going to set up a bookstore. 01:15:28.300 --> 01:15:31.400 And if I ever set up a bookstore, it'll be free. 01:15:31.400 --> 01:15:34.800 Like one of those neighborhood, you know, you see like little box in your neighborhood 01:15:34.800 --> 01:15:36.300 and it's like give a book, take a book. 01:15:36.300 --> 01:15:38.800 Hey, maybe something like that someday. I do love to read. 01:15:38.800 --> 01:15:41.500 I can see that. But guess what? It'll be free. 01:15:41.500 --> 01:15:44.600 Because you know what? I don't want Jesus to flip out of Anker Baptist Church. 01:15:44.900 --> 01:15:50.020 You know, I think Jesus would flip out today if he showed up to churches and heard a woman called pastor 01:15:51.220 --> 01:15:54.980 I think Jesus would just flip out. Let me introduce you pastor katie 01:15:55.620 --> 01:15:59.540 I think Jesus would start flipping out. You know why because Jesus said I suffer not a woman to teach 01:16:00.020 --> 01:16:03.140 You say no, that's the apostle paul. Hold on. Jesus is the word of god 01:16:03.540 --> 01:16:08.740 Okay, it's all the words of Jesus christ. He said I suffer not a woman to teach nor to usurp authority over the man 01:16:08.900 --> 01:16:10.300 But to be in silence 01:16:10.300 --> 01:16:12.800 Oh yeah, and also that's what the law commands as well. 01:16:12.800 --> 01:16:15.500 And he says, hey, a pastor, if you want to be a bishop, 01:16:15.500 --> 01:16:16.340 you have to be what? 01:16:16.340 --> 01:16:18.500 The husband of one wife. 01:16:18.600 --> 01:16:21.600 And people today just have no regard for what the Word of God says. 01:16:21.600 --> 01:16:23.600 I think Jesus would flip out over that. 01:16:23.600 --> 01:16:28.600 You know, one thing I think Jesus would flip out over today is churches supporting the nation of Israel, 01:16:28.600 --> 01:16:34.600 people supporting Jews today, people supporting the very false religion that murdered Jesus. 01:16:34.600 --> 01:16:35.600 I think he'd flip out. 01:16:35.600 --> 01:16:39.600 You know, Jesus comes to Jerusalem and he curses the fig tree. 01:16:39.600 --> 01:16:41.600 He looks at the temple and he's mad. 01:16:41.600 --> 01:16:43.600 He looks at the temple and says, hey, this is garbage. 01:16:43.600 --> 01:16:46.600 You guys have turned the house of God into a house of... 01:16:46.600 --> 01:16:52.360 of merchandise and Christians today will tell you, oh, bless Israel, bless the anti-Christ 01:16:52.360 --> 01:16:55.440 Jews, bless those that hate Jesus Christ. 01:16:55.440 --> 01:16:58.260 You know, I think Jesus would flip out over that today. 01:16:58.260 --> 01:17:01.500 I think Jesus would flip out over a lot of things, quite honestly, because churches have 01:17:01.500 --> 01:17:03.460 just gotten messed up in America today. 01:17:03.460 --> 01:17:07.760 I think Jesus would flip out seeing churches put a literal faggot behind the pulpit. 01:17:08.900 --> 01:17:15.260 Jesus would flip out today to see faggots welcome into the house of God and being able to be around your children 01:17:15.260 --> 01:17:21.300 Or to work in the kids ministry, you know or to even be alive. I think Jesus would flip out over those things today 01:17:24.300 --> 01:17:32.440 Also look at verse number 18. Notice the response and the scribes and chief priests heard it 01:17:33.400 --> 01:17:41.040 They sought how they might destroy him for they feared him because all the people was astonished at his dog 01:17:41.120 --> 01:17:43.120 You know what? This is the wrong 01:17:43.240 --> 01:17:44.480 response 01:17:44.480 --> 01:17:50.600 Right and look we look at the Jews or like oh, that's a bad response Jesus corrects you Jesus gets upset 01:17:50.600 --> 01:17:53.160 And what's your response is wanting him dead? 01:17:53.640 --> 01:17:58.760 Wanting to kill him, but you know what a lot of Christians today have a negative response towards Bible preaching 01:17:58.760 --> 01:18:00.600 And you know it is just as wrong 01:18:00.900 --> 01:18:02.560 Because you know what Bible preaching is? 01:18:02.560 --> 01:18:04.900 It's preaching the words of Jesus Christ. 01:18:04.900 --> 01:18:07.700 And when you hear the words of Jesus being preached, 01:18:07.700 --> 01:18:11.500 and you get mad, you're the problem. 01:18:11.500 --> 01:18:12.340 And you know what? 01:18:12.340 --> 01:18:14.940 Every man does that which is right in their own eyes. 01:18:14.940 --> 01:18:17.700 And it's so frustrating when you show someone something 01:18:17.700 --> 01:18:21.100 from the Bible, from God's word, and they're like, 01:18:21.100 --> 01:18:22.700 well, I just think. 01:18:22.900 --> 01:18:29.380 Well, I just feel no one cares what you think or what you feel we care about how Jesus feels and what Jesus thinks 01:18:29.540 --> 01:18:34.020 And you know when you disagree with the bible being preached you're disagreeing with Jesus 01:18:35.220 --> 01:18:42.020 And when you have a negative reaction towards bible preaching towards a man of god correcting you what makes you better than the jews 01:18:42.740 --> 01:18:47.460 Because jesus came in the flesh and corrected the jews and you know what a humble person would do 01:18:47.700 --> 01:18:49.700 Is get on their knees and say i'm sorry god 01:18:50.200 --> 01:18:56.280 I'm sorry Lord Jesus Christ that we've offended you, that we've made a disgrace of your house. 01:18:56.280 --> 01:18:58.160 How can we fix this Lord? 01:18:58.160 --> 01:19:01.520 But you know what today people want to correct the preacher. 01:19:01.520 --> 01:19:04.040 Everyone knows the Bible more than the preacher. 01:19:04.040 --> 01:19:06.020 Everyone knows doctrine more than the preacher. 01:19:06.020 --> 01:19:07.320 It's like you need to humble yourself. 01:19:07.900 --> 01:19:10.900 You know, it's amazing how today people will go to church. 01:19:10.900 --> 01:19:13.400 You know, they've been to church a handful of times in their life. 01:19:13.400 --> 01:19:16.400 They haven't even read the Bible cover to cover one time, 01:19:16.400 --> 01:19:18.600 or they've read it, you know, one time, 01:19:18.600 --> 01:19:22.000 and they want to sit here and teach the pastor and correct the pastor 01:19:22.000 --> 01:19:26.200 and get mad at the pastor who spent his whole life studying the Word of God. 01:19:26.200 --> 01:19:28.300 You are prideful. 01:19:28.300 --> 01:19:30.700 And it's like, man, when the Bible is correcting you, 01:19:30.700 --> 01:19:32.900 have you ever just stopped to think that maybe you're wrong? 01:19:34.300 --> 01:19:39.180 And there's a lot of things in America today that we just take for granted because of our 01:19:39.180 --> 01:19:43.180 culture and the Bible seems kind of extreme. 01:19:43.180 --> 01:19:45.300 The Bible seems kind of shocking. 01:19:45.300 --> 01:19:49.500 The Bible kind of seems like it's coming into our lives and just flipping over our tables 01:19:49.500 --> 01:19:52.080 and just driving us with a whip or something like that. 01:19:52.080 --> 01:19:54.780 But let me tell you, that's because our country is wicked as hell. 01:19:54.780 --> 01:19:55.860 That's why. 01:19:55.860 --> 01:20:00.300 That's because our country has gotten far from the Word of God and you've been desensitized. 01:20:00.600 --> 01:20:05.040 to truth or you've been since overly sensitized to truth I should say 01:20:05.040 --> 01:20:08.220 you know hurts your feelings to hear truth you know what we just need to say 01:20:08.220 --> 01:20:09.180 what is the Bible say 01:20:09.180 --> 01:20:13.420 what's an example this how about drinking alcohol our society 01:20:13.420 --> 01:20:16.900 views drinking alcohols most normal thing is normal rain 01:20:17.000 --> 01:20:21.080 You go to college, what do you do? You get blacked out drunk. That's just what you do. 01:20:21.080 --> 01:20:26.120 You turn 21 and your dad just takes you to the bar for your first beer. Your grandpa takes you to 01:20:26.120 --> 01:20:30.040 the bar for your first beer. It's just what you do. Okay, but the Bible says, look not thou upon 01:20:30.040 --> 01:20:35.800 the wine when it is red, when it giveth its color in the cup, when it moveth itself aright, right? 01:20:35.800 --> 01:20:39.720 And that's talking about the fermentation process of alcohol. The Bible says don't even look at it. 01:20:40.300 --> 01:20:44.500 The Bible says that wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived 01:20:44.500 --> 01:20:47.340 thereby is not wise. 01:20:47.340 --> 01:20:51.780 People today get mad at a Baptist preacher saying, hey, don't drink poison, idiot. 01:20:51.780 --> 01:20:53.900 Why would you ever call me stupid? 01:20:53.900 --> 01:20:55.700 The Bible called you stupid. 01:20:55.700 --> 01:20:57.820 Jesus called you stupid when he called you a fool. 01:20:57.820 --> 01:20:59.660 What do you think a fool means? 01:20:59.660 --> 01:21:02.340 Someone who's deceived by alcohol, you're a fool, okay? 01:21:02.340 --> 01:21:04.700 Oh, okay, I don't care what Oklahoma says. 01:21:04.700 --> 01:21:06.220 You know what smoking pot is? 01:21:06.220 --> 01:21:07.220 It's drunkenness. 01:21:07.700 --> 01:21:11.540 And the Bible says not to get drunk, that it's a sin to get drunk. 01:21:11.540 --> 01:21:13.940 And you know what? I don't care if it's medical. 01:21:13.940 --> 01:21:16.900 I don't care if the government says that it's legal. 01:21:16.900 --> 01:21:19.300 Christians ought not to smoke marijuana. 01:21:19.300 --> 01:21:22.340 You should never touch marijuana, kids, in your whole life. 01:21:22.340 --> 01:21:25.140 I don't care what society tells us about it. 01:21:25.140 --> 01:21:29.940 You know, the Bible says that a woman is not to wear that which pertaineth unto a man. 01:21:29.940 --> 01:21:32.100 You know, that is shocking to the American system. 01:21:32.600 --> 01:21:35.200 It's just, it's crazy, it's extreme. 01:21:35.200 --> 01:21:37.800 No, no, no, our country is extreme. 01:21:37.800 --> 01:21:40.160 That humans, for all of human history, 01:21:40.160 --> 01:21:44.320 until very recently, ladies have worn skirts and dresses. 01:21:44.320 --> 01:21:46.360 Look, it's extreme for women to walk around 01:21:46.360 --> 01:21:49.200 dressing like a man, that's what's extreme. 01:21:49.200 --> 01:21:51.540 Okay, today, you know, people just think 01:21:51.540 --> 01:21:54.900 that it's crazy to preach against divorce. 01:21:55.300 --> 01:21:58.400 to preach against being divorced and remarried. 01:21:58.500 --> 01:21:59.600 But let me tell you something. 01:21:59.700 --> 01:22:02.640 The Bible is against divorce. 01:22:02.740 --> 01:22:05.780 And we should not be offended by what the Bible says. 01:22:05.880 --> 01:22:06.980 And you know what? 01:22:07.080 --> 01:22:08.740 The Jews, they had the wrong response here. 01:22:08.840 --> 01:22:11.020 They hear the man of God upset. 01:22:11.120 --> 01:22:12.780 And they think in their mind, oh, he's wrong. 01:22:12.880 --> 01:22:13.480 I'm mad. 01:22:13.580 --> 01:22:14.280 Let's kill him. 01:22:14.380 --> 01:22:15.820 No, you're wrong. 01:22:15.920 --> 01:22:17.260 No, you're prideful. 01:22:17.360 --> 01:22:20.220 And you should repent. 01:22:20.320 --> 01:22:21.220 OK, let's keep reading here. 01:22:22.300 --> 01:22:29.180 It says in verse number 20, it says, and in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree 01:22:29.180 --> 01:22:35.580 dried up from the roots. Right? That should make any church, any Christian, not soul winning, 01:22:35.580 --> 01:22:39.820 should make us fear that God, He cursed this and it's just dried up from the roots. 01:22:40.540 --> 01:22:45.020 And Peter calling to remember and saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou 01:22:45.020 --> 01:22:49.460 Now a curses is withered away, and Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith. 01:22:49.800 --> 01:22:54.920 For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, 01:22:54.920 --> 01:22:59.800 and be thou cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that 01:22:59.800 --> 01:23:06.160 those things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he saith. 01:23:06.160 --> 01:23:07.160 Right? 01:23:07.160 --> 01:23:11.000 So the disciples are amazed by this great power. 01:23:11.300 --> 01:23:16.500 that God has allowed Jesus Christ to perform this miracle where he shows up he just says hey no man 01:23:16.500 --> 01:23:21.540 eat of thee from henceforth and forever and they show up and that thing's just dried up from the 01:23:21.540 --> 01:23:26.020 roots and they're just amazed by this and Jesus is saying like hey you could say to a mountain be 01:23:26.020 --> 01:23:31.220 thou removed be thou cast into the sea and it would obey you you can do and here's the lesson 01:23:31.220 --> 01:23:38.740 for us is that we should go to the Lord with big prayer requests big prayer requests go if you would 01:23:39.300 --> 01:23:41.300 chapter number three. 01:23:41.300 --> 01:23:47.300 Look, we need a revival amongst Christians of prayer, 01:23:47.300 --> 01:23:49.300 of biblical prayer, 01:23:49.300 --> 01:23:53.300 of having a God can mindset in prayer. 01:23:53.700 --> 01:24:00.240 not just having like this spiritual poor man's mentality of like well God doesn't want to answer that big of a prayer I 01:24:00.320 --> 01:24:04.320 Don't want to burden God with this big of an ask no no what we ask in faith 01:24:04.320 --> 01:24:08.420 We can have when we believe look at Ephesians chapter 3 verse 20 01:24:09.180 --> 01:24:10.880 the Bible says 01:24:10.880 --> 01:24:16.800 Verse number 20 notice here says now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly 01:24:17.320 --> 01:24:18.400 above 01:24:18.500 --> 01:24:22.700 all that we ask or think according to the power 01:24:22.700 --> 01:24:24.260 that worketh in us. 01:24:24.260 --> 01:24:28.900 We as Christians have access to the most unthinkable, 01:24:28.900 --> 01:24:33.780 unimaginable levels of power through the Holy Spirit of God 01:24:33.780 --> 01:24:36.640 so that no matter what we do pray, 01:24:36.640 --> 01:24:39.980 no matter what we do ask, no matter what we do think, 01:24:39.980 --> 01:24:43.960 whatever your human capability of your max ask, 01:24:43.960 --> 01:24:46.420 your max thinking, your max, you know, imagining. 01:24:46.500 --> 01:24:51.500 God's able to do abundantly, exceeding above all that we could think or ask. 01:24:51.500 --> 01:24:55.500 You know what that tells me? I better start thinking and asking big. 01:24:55.500 --> 01:24:59.500 Because there is nothing that I could ask that is too big for God to accomplish. 01:24:59.500 --> 01:25:05.500 And you know, I feel like we have a lot of people today that are just content with a small vision, 01:25:05.500 --> 01:25:09.500 a small blessing, a small little prayer from God. 01:25:09.500 --> 01:25:12.500 Why don't you start asking God for some big prayers? 01:25:13.300 --> 01:25:18.660 Why don't you start actually having faith in God and asking Him for things that are big asks, 01:25:18.660 --> 01:25:22.980 big challenges for God? You know, God likes that. God likes it when He's put to the test, 01:25:22.980 --> 01:25:26.500 where He's able to show His might, where He's able to show His power. 01:25:26.500 --> 01:25:29.460 But you know what He wants us to do? He wants us to ask. 01:25:29.700 --> 01:25:35.540 right? And so I think that the disciples are wrongly surprised by this because you know what we have 01:25:35.540 --> 01:25:42.180 access to this great power through the Holy Spirit of God through asking and also I think we should 01:25:42.180 --> 01:25:46.820 think about this with prayer. So number one you want to ask big okay look at verse 24 it says 01:25:46.820 --> 01:25:49.280 is therefore I say unto you, notice these two words, 01:25:49.280 --> 01:25:51.200 what things. 01:25:51.300 --> 01:25:58.580 So ever ye desire when ye pray believe that you receive them and ye shall have them here is another tip 01:25:58.580 --> 01:26:02.220 Here's a little cheat code for you for effective prayer is ask 01:26:03.180 --> 01:26:05.180 specifically ask 01:26:05.460 --> 01:26:12.380 Specifically notice how you said hey what things right to me that sounds like I am giving God very specific 01:26:13.020 --> 01:26:15.020 Asks, you know, this is how you should pray 01:26:15.800 --> 01:26:21.800 Here's how I pray is every single day I create a new handwritten list and I kind of model it after 01:26:21.800 --> 01:26:27.240 Hezekiah spreading it before God and I just make this list of very specific things that I want God 01:26:27.240 --> 01:26:31.720 to do. I write that list down, I pray through that list. You know this will help you in life 01:26:31.720 --> 01:26:36.200 to bring specific prayers to God is kind of having a plan going into your prayer. 01:26:36.600 --> 01:26:39.600 not just necessarily, because I feel like a lot of people's prayers, 01:26:39.600 --> 01:26:42.600 and I feel this way because I feel like at one point my life was kind of like this, 01:26:42.600 --> 01:26:46.600 where it was like, you know, God, you know, bless Brother Garrett and so and so, 01:26:46.600 --> 01:26:51.600 and things, and bless the O'Conners, and just be with them, God, and do good for them. 01:26:51.600 --> 01:26:56.600 But you know what? I think God wants us to do is to think about specific things that people need. 01:26:57.100 --> 01:27:00.460 You know, if you know that your friend is going through a hard time, you know, here's what you 01:27:00.460 --> 01:27:05.180 could do to say, Hey, God, I notice over here that one of my church members, one of my friends, 01:27:05.180 --> 01:27:09.740 you know, I noticed they're upset about this thing and God, they're heartbroken about this thing. 01:27:09.740 --> 01:27:13.660 And God, I want you to help with this situation right now. I want you to bless 01:27:13.660 --> 01:27:17.660 this person in this situation right now. That's a lot better of a prayer than just like, 01:27:17.660 --> 01:27:19.260 Hey, God, bless them and all. 01:27:20.000 --> 01:27:22.240 be with them and everything, right? 01:27:22.240 --> 01:27:24.640 You know, go to God with those specific requests. 01:27:24.640 --> 01:27:27.240 Jesus is just like, this fig tree, 01:27:27.240 --> 01:27:29.920 no man eat of you forever. 01:27:29.920 --> 01:27:31.800 And that thing is just cursed, right? 01:27:31.800 --> 01:27:34.200 And he's like, hey, if you say to this mountain, 01:27:34.200 --> 01:27:36.200 be thou cast into the sea, it would obey you. 01:27:36.200 --> 01:27:38.640 You know, obviously I don't have really a need 01:27:38.640 --> 01:27:40.720 to cast a mountain into the sea or anything like that. 01:27:40.720 --> 01:27:42.640 But you know, we could definitely look at it metaphorically 01:27:42.640 --> 01:27:44.640 that we might have some mountains in life. 01:27:44.700 --> 01:27:49.340 We've got some obstacles in life, we've got some challenges in life that to us are just 01:27:49.340 --> 01:27:53.400 mountains but let me tell you what, God is greater than those mountains. 01:27:53.400 --> 01:27:56.300 That God is able to answer those prayer requests. 01:27:56.300 --> 01:28:02.020 In fact, it's above all that we could even think or ask so you know we should ask big. 01:28:02.020 --> 01:28:03.620 Look at verse 25. 01:28:03.620 --> 01:28:06.260 Here's another important aspect of prayer though. 01:28:06.260 --> 01:28:09.900 Verse 25, and when you stand praying, here's a command, forgive. 01:28:10.300 --> 01:28:15.340 if you have ought against any, that your father also, which is in heaven, may forgive you your 01:28:15.340 --> 01:28:20.700 trespasses." See, what's going to hinder your prayer life, what is going to hinder God coming 01:28:20.700 --> 01:28:26.700 through for you in a great way, is when you are holding on to bitterness and unforgiveness against 01:28:26.700 --> 01:28:27.700 other people. 01:28:27.900 --> 01:28:34.400 And we've preached about this a lot. Why is that? Of course, because God has forgiven you of all of your sins, all of your transgressions. 01:28:34.400 --> 01:28:39.300 And God says, hey, before you come to me, make sure that if you have anything in your heart against someone, 01:28:39.300 --> 01:28:44.300 that you forgive, that you let that go, so that your Father can forgive you. 01:28:44.300 --> 01:28:51.300 And you know what? Forgiveness should be another very important aspect of our prayers, is asking God for forgiveness in our lives. 01:28:51.800 --> 01:28:55.000 not for salvation, but for our daily walk with God, 01:28:55.000 --> 01:28:59.400 asking God for mercy, confessing your sins to God. 01:28:59.400 --> 01:29:01.600 Right, that seems to be like a lost thing amongst people. 01:29:01.600 --> 01:29:05.800 Hey, confess your sins, not to a priest, to God. 01:29:05.800 --> 01:29:06.640 You know what it means? 01:29:06.640 --> 01:29:08.200 Hey God, I did this, I'm sorry. 01:29:08.600 --> 01:29:12.200 God, I don't want to do this anymore. Please help me to fix this. 01:29:12.200 --> 01:29:16.920 Hey, God, you know, I'm upset with what this person did. Lord, I pray that you'd work in this situation, 01:29:16.920 --> 01:29:20.360 but I pray that you bless them. You know, God, do something good for them. 01:29:20.360 --> 01:29:23.160 You know, do something. Bless your enemies, the Bible talks about. 01:29:23.880 --> 01:29:27.480 But here's the warning, verse 26. But if you do not forgive, 01:29:28.120 --> 01:29:30.920 neither will your father, which is in heaven, forgive your trespasses. 01:29:31.500 --> 01:29:35.500 So if you feel like your prayers are always just hitting a wall and you're like, I don't get my 01:29:35.500 --> 01:29:39.100 prayers answered. You should probably look and see if you're a bitter person. You should probably 01:29:39.100 --> 01:29:43.580 look and see if you're harboring unforgiveness in your heart because that is a hindrance to your 01:29:43.580 --> 01:29:49.180 prayer. All right, last part of the chapter here says in verse number 27, and they come again to 01:29:49.180 --> 01:29:55.180 Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests and the scribes 01:29:55.180 --> 01:29:56.980 and the elders, so here's all the Jews. 01:29:57.300 --> 01:30:03.300 and say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? And who gave thee this authority 01:30:03.300 --> 01:30:07.220 to do these things? Now, these people are not ready to handle the truth of the answer, which is 01:30:07.220 --> 01:30:13.540 God the Father, that God the Father has given Jesus Christ this authority. And so Jesus is not 01:30:13.540 --> 01:30:18.500 just some renegade doing things on his own. No, he's actually has the ultimate authority, 01:30:18.500 --> 01:30:23.940 a higher authority than even the men asking this question. Okay, but of course, they're not sincere 01:30:23.940 --> 01:30:24.940 when they ask this. 01:30:25.500 --> 01:30:29.500 And Jesus exposes their insincerity in verse number 29. 01:30:29.500 --> 01:30:32.380 And Jesus answered and said unto them, 01:30:32.380 --> 01:30:35.180 I will also ask of you one question. 01:30:35.400 --> 01:30:41.880 and answer me and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Now I don't think Jesus is 01:30:41.880 --> 01:30:47.400 trying to get out of the answering the question. I don't think he's afraid to say that the power 01:30:47.400 --> 01:30:51.560 that has been given to him has been given by God the Father. We see that all throughout the Gospels. 01:30:51.560 --> 01:30:57.080 I think that Jesus just can tell that these people are insincere and so he's responding to their 01:30:57.080 --> 01:31:02.200 question with a question and he's saying notice what the question is he says hey you answer me 01:31:02.200 --> 01:31:03.200 I'll answer you. 01:31:03.500 --> 01:31:11.260 Verse 30, the baptism of John, was it from heaven or of men? Answer me. So Jesus here, 01:31:11.260 --> 01:31:15.580 what he's doing is he's implying that his authority is coming from where? From heaven. 01:31:16.000 --> 01:31:19.600 And so he's kind of saying like, all right, let's just take me out of the equation right now, 01:31:19.600 --> 01:31:23.920 because he knows they hate him. They're seeking to kill him. They're angry that he just flipped 01:31:23.920 --> 01:31:28.720 tables in the temple. Right. And he says, okay, let's not talk about me. Let's talk about John, 01:31:28.720 --> 01:31:33.840 the baptism of John was that from heaven or was that a man? What afford by what authority did John 01:31:33.840 --> 01:31:38.000 the Baptist do this? You know, if John the Baptist ministry is legit, you know, what you're going to 01:31:38.000 --> 01:31:43.360 be forced to do is show that Jesus Christ's ministry is legit. And if you deny that John the 01:31:43.360 --> 01:31:44.000 the baptism. 01:31:44.000 --> 01:31:47.100 ministry was legit, it's going to show you to be the heretics that you are. 01:31:47.100 --> 01:31:48.100 Right? 01:31:48.100 --> 01:31:52.760 So this is the mastery of conversation that Jesus is doing here. 01:31:52.760 --> 01:31:57.760 Notice it says in verse number 31, and they reasoned with themselves, saying, 01:31:58.200 --> 01:32:04.200 If we shall say, from heaven, he will say, why then did you not believe him? 01:32:04.200 --> 01:32:08.200 So if you admit that John's legit, you're going to have to believe that Jesus is legit 01:32:08.200 --> 01:32:10.200 because that was John's entire ministry. 01:32:10.200 --> 01:32:15.200 Was paving the way for the Messiah and saying, hey, follow him who's coming after me. 01:32:15.200 --> 01:32:18.200 So was he from heaven? Was his ministry from heaven? 01:32:18.200 --> 01:32:21.200 And notice, they don't care what the truth is, they reason within themselves. 01:32:21.200 --> 01:32:25.200 They're just thinking within themselves, well, hmm, they're politicians is what they are. 01:32:25.200 --> 01:32:25.700 Right? 01:32:25.700 --> 01:32:26.200 Well... 01:32:26.200 --> 01:32:31.240 I answer and say that it was from heaven, well then Jesus will say, why then did you 01:32:31.240 --> 01:32:32.240 not believe him? 01:32:32.240 --> 01:32:37.020 And notice they're not like, and Jesus would be saying that and making a good point, right? 01:32:37.020 --> 01:32:39.160 They just, they don't care what the truth is. 01:32:39.160 --> 01:32:43.480 And you just got to realize there's some people in life that do not care what the truth is. 01:32:43.480 --> 01:32:47.480 There are some people that are insincere and it does not matter how many Bible verses you 01:32:47.480 --> 01:32:48.480 show. 01:32:48.480 --> 01:32:51.580 It doesn't matter how much truth, how much facts, how much logic. 01:32:51.580 --> 01:32:53.080 There are some people that just hate truth. 01:32:53.600 --> 01:32:56.880 which is really crazy to think about for those of us who are lovers of truth. 01:32:57.840 --> 01:33:04.240 But if we shall say of men, notice they feared the people. For all men counted John, 01:33:04.240 --> 01:33:08.400 that he was a prophet indeed. It's like, well, everyone knows John was a man of God. 01:33:08.700 --> 01:33:12.900 Everyone knows, I mean all the nation was following him and getting baptized. 01:33:12.900 --> 01:33:16.900 Why do you think when Jesus enters Jerusalem there's all these people cheering him on? 01:33:16.900 --> 01:33:19.400 A lot of that has to do with the work of John the Baptist. 01:33:19.400 --> 01:33:22.900 And they're like, well we can't just go calling John the Baptist a false prophet 01:33:22.900 --> 01:33:25.000 because then the people are going to get mad at us. 01:33:25.000 --> 01:33:27.500 And by the way, you know what happens when you expose the Jews? 01:33:27.500 --> 01:33:29.700 You know, nations tend to hate the Jews, all right? 01:33:29.700 --> 01:33:32.500 Nations tend to realize, oh they're wicked and everyone hates them. 01:33:32.500 --> 01:33:34.700 They're contrary to all men, that's what the Bible says. 01:33:35.300 --> 01:33:39.700 Notice verse number 33, and they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. 01:33:40.260 --> 01:33:46.420 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things. 01:33:46.420 --> 01:33:50.580 So notice some people they like to hide behind I don't know. 01:33:51.000 --> 01:33:54.320 right? When you really do know. Have you ever encountered that when you're showing someone 01:33:54.320 --> 01:33:58.060 a doctrine from the Bible, you're trying to change someone's mind on something, or even 01:33:58.060 --> 01:34:02.040 just soul winning itself, where like you've nailed it down, you've showed them the truth, 01:34:02.040 --> 01:34:06.160 it's like, ah, I don't know, I just want to think about it a little bit longer. Oftentimes 01:34:06.160 --> 01:34:12.080 what that is, is that's a mask of, I reject this, I don't like this, I don't want to believe 01:34:12.080 --> 01:34:15.840 this, but in reality they know you're right. And they're just like, ah, I don't know, and 01:34:15.840 --> 01:34:18.760 Jesus says, okay, you don't know? Well then, I'm not going to tell you. You're not going 01:34:18.760 --> 01:34:19.000 until next time. 01:34:19.000 --> 01:34:24.000 I'm not going to tell you what are some things we could pull from this you know when you're out soul winning 01:34:24.600 --> 01:34:28.760 You are not obligated to answer every insincere stupid question 01:34:29.400 --> 01:34:36.300 Just in life in general you are not obligated to just answer every question from every critic every hater 01:34:36.620 --> 01:34:43.440 Every insincere person you know a lot of times out so winning people that ask you these wild crazy questions 01:34:43.480 --> 01:34:50.480 They're just troublemakers. They're just people trying to waste your time. There are people. I call them doorstep theologians 01:34:50.800 --> 01:34:57.140 Okay, where it's just like you're asking this most wild crazy question about theology has absolutely nothing to do with what we're talking 01:34:57.400 --> 01:35:01.940 about and you know at first you can just say hey can we talk about this at the end I want 01:35:01.940 --> 01:35:05.140 to share the gospel with you and this will kind of weed between people who are actually 01:35:05.140 --> 01:35:08.640 interested and people who just want to waste your time. 01:35:08.640 --> 01:35:15.040 Also you should learn this skill that sometimes answering a question with a question is a 01:35:15.040 --> 01:35:22.840 good tool out soul winning to diffuse trouble makers especially when it comes to group settings. 01:35:22.840 --> 01:35:25.040 Now look, when you are with one on one. 01:35:25.200 --> 01:35:28.000 and you start picking up that this person's a heretic, 01:35:28.000 --> 01:35:31.140 this person's a time waster, this person's a scoffer, 01:35:31.140 --> 01:35:33.900 here's what you should do, leave. 01:35:33.900 --> 01:35:35.200 Don't waste your time with them, 01:35:35.200 --> 01:35:36.940 don't sit there and argue with them, 01:35:36.940 --> 01:35:40.220 don't be like, yeah man, I really chewed that atheist up 01:35:40.220 --> 01:35:42.540 and spit him out, just leave, okay? 01:35:42.540 --> 01:35:45.320 But there are often times where you're preaching to a group 01:35:45.320 --> 01:35:47.220 and three people are interested, 01:35:47.220 --> 01:35:48.520 and there's that one hater. 01:35:49.000 --> 01:35:52.800 who's just coming in with the dumbest questions ever, trying to interrupt, giving you the 01:35:52.800 --> 01:35:53.800 silly questions. 01:35:53.800 --> 01:35:58.000 Oftentimes, you know, the Bible talks about how these people, they want to be teachers 01:35:58.000 --> 01:36:02.040 of the law, understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm. 01:36:02.040 --> 01:36:03.040 Right? 01:36:03.040 --> 01:36:07.040 So these haters, these dissemblers, they don't understand doctrine, they don't know the Bible. 01:36:07.040 --> 01:36:12.220 So you could publicly expose their stupidity with two questions, okay, when they are giving 01:36:12.220 --> 01:36:14.160 you whatever. 01:36:14.160 --> 01:36:16.300 You say this, you say, what do you mean by that? 01:36:16.700 --> 01:36:18.700 And how did you come to that conclusion? 01:36:18.700 --> 01:36:22.300 These are great questions to ask in a group conversation from a hater 01:36:22.300 --> 01:36:26.700 because someone comes at you with this crazy claim, what's obviously not biblical, right? 01:36:26.700 --> 01:36:29.180 If they were saying something biblical, they'd be agreeing with you. 01:36:29.180 --> 01:36:32.300 So they come at you with something biblical. You say, what do you mean by that? 01:36:32.300 --> 01:36:34.860 Make them define what their claim is, right? 01:36:34.860 --> 01:36:37.020 Because people don't, people like to just say stuff, 01:36:37.020 --> 01:36:38.940 but you know, make them actually own what they're saying. 01:36:39.300 --> 01:36:41.600 make them actually define what they're saying to you. 01:36:41.600 --> 01:36:42.900 Hey, what do you mean by that? 01:36:42.900 --> 01:36:44.200 And then here's a great question. 01:36:44.200 --> 01:36:46.300 How did you come to that conclusion? 01:36:46.300 --> 01:36:47.600 And you know what you're going to find? 01:36:47.600 --> 01:36:49.700 It's not coming from the Bible. 01:36:49.700 --> 01:36:51.400 Or they're going to take something out of context. 01:36:51.400 --> 01:36:54.100 And what you've done is you've shown to the people 01:36:54.100 --> 01:36:56.300 that you're preaching to, this guy's an idiot. 01:36:56.300 --> 01:36:57.400 This guy's a fool. 01:36:57.400 --> 01:36:58.500 This guy doesn't know what he's talking about 01:36:58.500 --> 01:37:00.800 without you having to say those exact words. 01:37:00.800 --> 01:37:03.400 It's a great tool to use in front of people. 01:37:03.400 --> 01:37:04.300 Let me show you that. 01:37:04.300 --> 01:37:05.700 Proverbs 26. 01:37:06.200 --> 01:37:12.600 Proverbs 26, we're going to see this principle. Proverbs 26, look at verse number four. The Bible 01:37:12.600 --> 01:37:19.080 says, answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. 01:37:19.400 --> 01:37:23.640 So right there are some instances in life where you just don't answer the fool. 01:37:23.640 --> 01:37:25.960 You don't engage in the rage bait. 01:37:25.960 --> 01:37:29.120 You don't get baited into an unprofitable conversation. 01:37:29.120 --> 01:37:31.760 Just answer not a fool according to his folly. 01:37:31.760 --> 01:37:37.420 But then the next verse says this, answer a fool according to his folly lest he should 01:37:37.420 --> 01:37:40.000 be wise in his own conceit. 01:37:40.000 --> 01:37:43.280 Hey, you don't want this person to think that they're smart or that they're right. 01:37:43.800 --> 01:37:45.960 And here's where I draw the line because some people say, 01:37:45.960 --> 01:37:47.800 oh look, a contradiction in the Bible. 01:37:48.200 --> 01:37:54.060 Really, I mean if this was written by man, and this was a fallible book. Do you think they would have not realized the contradiction? 01:37:54.380 --> 01:37:58.180 Right next to each other the truth is it's not a contradiction the truth 01:37:58.180 --> 01:38:03.840 Is that there's a time for everything under the sun and you know there's a time to not answer a fool according to his folly 01:38:03.840 --> 01:38:06.380 And there's a time to answer a fool according to his folly 01:38:06.960 --> 01:38:11.520 Personally here's where I make the dividing line if I'm one-on-one. I don't answer the fool 01:38:12.400 --> 01:38:15.400 I don't care. I'm out. I'm going to the next person. 01:38:15.400 --> 01:38:19.400 If I'm in front of an audience where there are people who are sincere and care, 01:38:19.400 --> 01:38:21.000 that is when I answer the fool. 01:38:21.300 --> 01:38:23.020 That's how I go soul-warning. 01:38:23.020 --> 01:38:25.820 Also, let's see this again in Titus chapter number two. 01:38:25.820 --> 01:38:27.340 That's what I would advise you do. 01:38:27.340 --> 01:38:28.980 Don't waste your time with fools. 01:38:28.980 --> 01:38:30.340 Don't answer fools. 01:38:30.340 --> 01:38:32.380 But, hey, there is a time to answer them, 01:38:32.380 --> 01:38:34.180 and I would say that it's when it's profitable 01:38:34.180 --> 01:38:35.980 for other people hearing. 01:38:35.980 --> 01:38:37.860 I mean, we're reading this in the Word of God. 01:38:37.860 --> 01:38:39.620 Billions of people have read this, 01:38:39.620 --> 01:38:41.780 and so it's profitable that Jesus answered 01:38:41.780 --> 01:38:43.540 in the way that He did. 01:38:44.740 --> 01:38:46.820 Okay, Titus, I'm sorry, chapter number three. 01:38:47.500 --> 01:38:54.100 Notice the command of God says here, but avoid foolish questions and genealogies. 01:38:54.100 --> 01:38:58.980 There's your black Hebrew Israelites and contentions and strivings about the law. 01:38:58.980 --> 01:38:59.980 Why? 01:38:59.980 --> 01:39:02.540 For they are unprofitable and vain. 01:39:02.540 --> 01:39:04.460 When we go soul winning, what are we trying to do? 01:39:04.460 --> 01:39:05.460 We're trying to get people saved. 01:39:05.900 --> 01:39:10.060 Trying to preach the gospel to people and arguing with the Black Heber Israelite, 01:39:10.060 --> 01:39:13.900 arguing with the Mormon missionary, arguing with the Catholic priest. 01:39:13.900 --> 01:39:16.220 You know what that is? That is a divine waste of time. 01:39:16.600 --> 01:39:18.200 You're not going to get those people saved. 01:39:18.300 --> 01:39:19.200 Move on from those people. 01:39:19.300 --> 01:39:21.340 Avoid the foolish questions. 01:39:21.440 --> 01:39:24.540 Notice verse 10, a man that is in heretic 01:39:24.640 --> 01:39:28.440 after the first and second admonition, reject. 01:39:28.540 --> 01:39:31.580 So there's a group that we need to just reject in this world. 01:39:31.680 --> 01:39:34.520 Stay away from, don't talk to, and who is it? 01:39:34.620 --> 01:39:35.520 Heretics. 01:39:36.300 --> 01:39:39.100 These are forward individuals. 01:39:39.100 --> 01:39:40.700 These are contrarian. 01:39:40.700 --> 01:39:43.200 These are people who, when you're preaching to them, 01:39:43.200 --> 01:39:45.100 they're not struggling to understand, 01:39:45.100 --> 01:39:47.100 they're just negating what you say. 01:39:47.100 --> 01:39:48.400 They're just insincere. 01:39:48.400 --> 01:39:50.400 They're just speaking against what you say. 01:39:50.400 --> 01:39:54.100 And what you're supposed to do is you're supposed to give that person one and two admonitions, 01:39:54.100 --> 01:39:56.700 and after that, you're supposed to leave. 01:39:57.000 --> 01:39:58.640 And let me just help you with something. 01:39:58.640 --> 01:40:01.000 You know, when you're with one of these heretics, 01:40:01.000 --> 01:40:05.280 don't worry if they, you know, if you walk away from that conversation 01:40:05.280 --> 01:40:07.480 and you're like, you know, they think that they're right. 01:40:07.480 --> 01:40:09.240 If it's just them, it's just like, it doesn't matter. 01:40:09.240 --> 01:40:11.040 You know what? This person is condemned. 01:40:11.040 --> 01:40:12.320 They're on their way to hell. 01:40:12.320 --> 01:40:15.400 You know, who cares if you feel like you won the debate? 01:40:15.400 --> 01:40:16.680 Debates are stupid. 01:40:16.900 --> 01:40:22.100 Debates are annoying. Debates are not two people looking for truth. It's two people trying to look 01:40:22.100 --> 01:40:26.660 the smartest oftentimes. And you know, it's good to just go to people that are interested and 01:40:26.660 --> 01:40:32.500 receptive in the gospel. Why is it you would reject this type of person? Verse 11, knowing 01:40:32.500 --> 01:40:38.500 that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself. 01:40:39.000 --> 01:40:43.280 It's like, look, I don't need to waste my time proving every little point and condemning 01:40:43.280 --> 01:40:44.280 this person because you know what? 01:40:44.280 --> 01:40:46.200 He's already condemned of himself. 01:40:46.200 --> 01:40:47.200 Right? 01:40:47.200 --> 01:40:52.380 And so Jesus is just illustrating, look at how insincere these people are. 01:40:52.380 --> 01:40:56.560 Look at how these people don't really care that the Messiah is before their eyes. 01:40:56.900 --> 01:41:02.100 You know, oh, they've got leaves. They want to tell you we stand in Moses's seat. Oh, we love the Old Testament 01:41:02.580 --> 01:41:06.660 Meanwhile, here's the Messiah and you don't even care that his authority has been given from heaven 01:41:06.980 --> 01:41:11.140 You don't even care that he's here to die for your sins. You just want to reject him. Okay 01:41:11.300 --> 01:41:13.300 Well, then just go to hell then 01:41:13.300 --> 01:41:14.820 See you later 01:41:14.820 --> 01:41:16.820 Bye move on to the next person 01:41:17.060 --> 01:41:22.020 You know what? What's the final application for us is that Jesus Christ when he was on this earth? 01:41:22.260 --> 01:41:24.420 He had his authority given to him from heaven 01:41:25.200 --> 01:41:30.560 He was there on a mission sent from God. He was there with authority. He's just walking into the 01:41:30.560 --> 01:41:35.200 temple with authority. He's just preaching the word of God with authority. Well, you know, when Jesus 01:41:35.200 --> 01:41:40.000 Christ left this earth, he said that all authority was given to him in heaven and earth. And you know 01:41:40.000 --> 01:41:43.920 what? By the authority of Jesus Christ, he said to us was to go into all the world and preach the 01:41:43.920 --> 01:41:47.600 gospel to every creature. You know, what's the closing thought is that we need to go out into 01:41:47.600 --> 01:41:49.440 this world with authority. 01:41:50.100 --> 01:41:52.700 We need to go soul winning with authority. 01:41:52.700 --> 01:41:56.200 We need preachers today to preach the Word of God with authority. 01:41:56.500 --> 01:41:59.860 And you know what? I'm not sorry for any of the doctrines in the Bible. 01:41:59.860 --> 01:42:03.620 I'm not sorry that this world gets mad that we preach against the sodomites 01:42:03.620 --> 01:42:08.340 or alcohol or divorce or against the Jews. I'm not sorry for any of it because you know what? 01:42:08.340 --> 01:42:12.820 I'm preaching under the authority of Jesus Christ. I go out soul-winding. I'm not sorry 01:42:12.820 --> 01:42:17.060 that I'm knocking on your door. I'm not sorry that I'm interrupting you. You know, here we are with 01:42:17.060 --> 01:42:20.900 the authority of heaven and we're doing an important job. You know, people in this world 01:42:20.900 --> 01:42:23.300 would be wise to listen to the authority. 01:42:23.900 --> 01:42:28.700 Christians today who come to church, you'd be wise to listen to the authority of God's word. 01:42:28.700 --> 01:42:33.900 And you know, all of us every single day, we should open up the word of God and read the words of the 01:42:33.900 --> 01:42:39.900 King of Kings and actually respond to that authority and not be stiff-necked like the Jews. 01:42:39.900 --> 01:42:42.780 Let's pray. Lord, we thank you for Mark chapter number 11. 01:42:43.300 --> 01:42:45.300 and these truths that are found here. 01:42:45.300 --> 01:42:47.300 God, I pray that every single person in here would have 01:42:47.300 --> 01:42:51.100 boldness, that you would fill us with power of the Holy Spirit, 01:42:51.100 --> 01:42:56.600 that you would help us to overcome shyness or just a feeling of social awkwardness, 01:42:56.600 --> 01:43:01.700 that you would just raise up in this room a generation of mighty soul winners 01:43:01.700 --> 01:43:06.300 that go out preaching with authority and reaching this world for Jesus Christ. 01:43:06.300 --> 01:43:08.200 And it's in His name we pray. Amen. 01:43:17.000 --> 01:43:22.500 him this evening. Turn if you would to 305 in your hymnals. 01:43:31.300 --> 01:43:38.500 Ham number 305305 yield not to temptation. 01:43:49.700 --> 01:43:51.940 305. Let's sing it out together. 01:43:52.500 --> 01:44:00.900 Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin. 01:44:00.900 --> 01:44:09.400 Each victory will help you, some other to win. 01:44:09.400 --> 01:44:17.900 Fight men fully onward, dark passions subdue. 01:44:17.900 --> 01:44:20.500 Look ever to Jesus. 01:44:20.500 --> 01:44:26.500 Jesus, He will carry you through. 01:44:26.500 --> 01:44:30.500 Ask the Savior to help you. 01:44:30.500 --> 01:44:34.500 Come, first strengthen and keep you. 01:44:34.500 --> 01:44:38.500 He is willing to aid you. 01:44:38.500 --> 01:44:42.500 He will carry you through. 01:44:43.400 --> 01:44:51.900 Shun evil companions that language disdain. 01:44:51.900 --> 01:44:59.760 God's name hold in reverence, nor take it in fame. 01:45:00.200 --> 01:45:08.600 Be thoughtful and earnest, kind, hearted and true. 01:45:08.600 --> 01:45:16.600 Look ever to Jesus, he will carry you through. 01:45:17.000 --> 01:45:25.480 I ask the Savior to help you, convert, strengthen, and keep you. 01:45:25.480 --> 01:45:33.560 He is willing to aid you. He will carry you through. 01:45:33.800 --> 01:45:42.200 To him that o'er cometh, God giveth a crown. 01:45:42.200 --> 01:45:50.680 Through faith we shall conquer, though often cast down. 01:45:50.680 --> 01:45:58.760 He who is our Savior, our strength will renew. 01:45:59.100 --> 01:46:07.540 Look ever to Jesus, He will carry you through. 01:46:07.540 --> 01:46:15.940 Ask the Savior to help you, comfort, strengthen, and keep you. 01:46:15.940 --> 01:46:24.380 He is willing to aid you, He will carry you through. 01:46:24.380 --> 01:46:25.980 Amen. With that, you are dismissed.